


The Princess and the Outlander

by Totally_not_a_Weeb



Category: Original Work
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Denial of Feelings, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Genre Savvy, High Fantasy, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Kings & Queens, Lesbian Character, Light Angst, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Modern Girl in Fantasy, Nobility, Not Beta Read, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Period-Typical Sexism, Princes & Princesses, Self-Indulgent, Snark, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-06-14 12:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 53,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15388311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Totally_not_a_Weeb/pseuds/Totally_not_a_Weeb
Summary: When an explosion of arcane energy shakes the streets of Serenity's Grace, many rush to the scene to find an odd woman in the centre of the explosion.A woman bearing the face of one who is long dead. Just who is this person?





	1. Wrong Time, Wrong Place -Redux

**Author's Note:**

> More proof that someone needs to take my AO3 away from me. I started this story while I was in Holland and I have started to continue it, I personally blame my lack of sleep.
> 
> Please make sure to leave a kudos and comment, you commenting actually helps me improve my writing or could just lead to a bit of snark from me, either one.

**???? – ??? – ???? – Robyn Lancaster**

 

Have you ever been struck by lightning? I don't think you have, it's understandably quite a painful feeling. What with your body being fried by what is essentially pure energy.

 

I think I kinda deserved it for walking out in the middle of a thunderstorm, but I had places to be. You understand, don't you? Wait who exactly am I talking to? Am I talking to myself? It's quite likely.

 

I mean, the odds are hilariously low for this to happen and yet, here I am. I wonder what's taking this death so long? I've been struck by lightning, I doubt the whole moment of my life flashing before my eyes are supposed to take this long.

 

And even then, it's not like a show of scenes from my life would be that good, I'm a boring person. I wonder what my gravestone would look like? I suppose this would be my last hurrah against my mother, she's going to have to pay for my funeral.

 

Dear god, this death business was taking too long, and I didn't think it'd look like I was gazing through a purple and pink crystal, but here we are. I guess every religion got it wrong then.

**???? – Noon-ish – Where the hell is this? – Robyn Lancaster**

Robyn was not the sort of person who considered herself shocked by my things. But when she woke up to find herself lying face down in the dirt, and just when she had been struck by lightning. It didn't exactly make for a calm person.

 

She brought herself up to a sitting position and found that she was also lying atop... are these cobbled paths? Okay, that couldn't be right, she doesn't go to areas with such pathing. She dusted herself off slightly and noticed the murmuring of people.

 

Getting up to her feet, she saw that the hole she was in was more like a crater, and it was barely that deep. Though this was when she got a view of the local surrounding area.

 

Okay, since when did people build houses like this? She couldn't even place a finger on the architectural style, and now that she realised it, the weather was a tad bit too warm for her.

 

And then there were the people, they were all wearing low-quality medieval outfits, complete with visible stitching and everything. They all also had not the cleanest skin and tans. Okay, she definitely wasn't home.

 

Though that begged the question "Where the hell am I?" she asked out loud. Looking around in confusion as some of the people looked at her with fearful expressions upon their face.

 

She walked towards one of them and began to ask "Hey, could-" She started before the peasant literally ran in the opposite direction like she had the plague.

 

Robyn looked around the area, she wasn't sure, but she thinks that she might be dreaming. Following the standard procedure, she pinched herself and found that the only results that yielded were a small bit of pain, and looking slightly weird, only one of those she was used to. Was this a fever dream?

 

The smell of the place then hit her, it smelt surprisingly good, sure there was the distinctive scent of spoiled food, but it also smelt of expensive spices, freshly cooked meat and baked bread. Her musings were interrupted as a figure clad in full plate armour and looking about like he was 110% done with this nonsense appeared.

 

Robyn noticed a few things about him, the first was his pissed off facial expression, a second was the fact that his steel grey eyes looked even more pissed off. The third was the fact that he seemed to be rather pale, despite the warm climate. A fourth fact that she noticed was the fact that he was drawing a longsword as he quickly walked up to her.

 

Though Robyn still wanted to try her luck "Excuse me, sir, am could you tell me-" He pointed that longsword at her throat. Robyn noticed that it was quite sharp and that her life was literally in the hands of a very pissed off man.

 

"Be quiet, witch!" He shouted, Robyn mentally dubbed him the 'angry man' behind appeared several guards, all clad in what she assumed was leather armour and holding thick spears with long kite shields.  "I'm going to give you two choices, come with me peacefully or come with me forcefully." He said as his grip on the longsword seemed to tighten.

 

"Go where exactly?" Robyn asked she supposed that if she was forced into being a protagonist, she was going to try to be well informed, at the very least. The knight jerked his head in the direction of a massive castle that overlooked the entire city, which was something that she seemed to have not noticed. "That makes sense. Take me along then."

 

"That's a smart move." The knight said as he sheathed his longsword, he made a hand signal to the guards who all surrounded her, and one of them clamped actual manacles onto her hands. Like real iron manacles.

 

She was moved rather forcefully along the street, ignoring how all of the citizenry were shooting her dirty looks. The guards looked rather bored with this and Robyn was still curious despite her rising panic "So, why are these citizens so pissed off? Did I accidentally kill someone?" She asked

 

"Living in the shadow of the Witch Queen does that to you." One of the guards said grimly. Robyn internally sighed, it's always a witch queen, why is it never a witch king?

 

"I'm assuming by how everything isn't on fire, that she's dead." Robyn said. She was still curious, knowledge was power, and if the guard was going to give it up easily, she would happily keep pressing him for it.

 

The guard looked at her. "Perhaps no-" He began, only the be cut off.

 

"Shut up and escort the prisoner!" The knight shouted, looking behind him.

 

Robyn was piecing what she had together in her head.

 

There was a Witch Queen, might not be dead, she was accused of being a witch, perhaps a servant of said queen. From what she could see, most of the citizens had tans, so the climate might be alright at least.

 

The guards continued to drag her along the long and winding path, she was entirely sure that she had seen the same fruit cart at least five times. "Look, I know you're trying to confuse me by taking the scenic route, but can we expedite the path to the dungeons." She thought, only realising that she had said it out loud afterwards.

 

The guards stopped, the knight turned around "If you're going to keep talking, I'm afraid that I might have to speed up the whole process to the execution." He responded he looked even more done with all of this. Robyn just noticed that despite how young he looked, his hairline was doing an excellent job of receding and that thought just amused her. Even though it was a minor and largely irrelevant issue, she could still find amusement over it. Or at least had something to identify him with.

 

Robyn mentally considered the pros and cons of making a joke about begging for death. On the one hand, it would be funny, at least to her, on the other hand, death. She settled on not dying, that would be boring "Nah, just take the scenic route, I could use the walk." She responded, "Though I can't make a promise about not talking."

 

The knight started to draw his sword from its scabbard. His mood eventually worsening.

 

"Fine, I won't talk." She said, not realising how much a problem that was for her. She loved the sound of her own voice and sarcasm was her only defensive mechanism. The knight sheathed his sword again and motioned to the other guards to follow him.

 

Robyn mentally noted down that said knight had a short temper and a massive stick up his ass. The procession moved through the streets, and eventually, Robyn noticed that they were walking into wealthier districts, where the smell of spice was more pungent and everything smelt vaguely of perfume.

 

Here, the people weren't nearly as outwardly pissed off to see her, but she could have sworn she head a few older people shepherd their sons and daughters into buildings.

 

A small thought occurred to her, what if she was forced to go on a quest? The idea sent a shudder down her back, no walking was bad enough as is, she didn't need to add camping and fighting to the list. Also, she'd probably be surrounded by guys who think that they are totally slick and honestly believe that she'll sleep with them. Yeah, she'd rather not have to save the world, if she could help it.

 

She noted with some amusement that there were a few elves that made themselves visible. They were far too pretty and flawless for her taste.

**???? – Noon – A Castle of some kind – Robyn Lancaster**

 

All too soon, she was moved out of the rich people district and into the castle itself.

 

It was huge, that sounded like an obvious statement, and it kinda was, but it was massive in size, with the walls damn near blocking out the sun entirely.

 

The knight stopped here. "Alright, I have to make a report of this." He said, before angrily pointing at one of the guards, "report this one to the Captain of the Guard." He pointed at a couple of guards "Take this one to the dungeons."

 

"Yes, my lord." The first guard said as he ran off, she heard another "Yes, my lord" as the people escorting her to the dungeon doubled in size. She swallowed her growing panic as she was marched down further and further into the dungeon. Though she would congratulate the guards for not taking the scenic route if she cared about that right now, which she didn't. Though that didn't mean that it was quick, they were still travelling through a series of winding halls, and these were mass travelling guards, which meant that they blocked up the corridors quite well.

**???? – Early Afternoon – The Dungeons – Robyn Lancaster**

 

After a few minutes of walking through the castle, she was escorted down to a lovely little subterranean room that smelt vaguely of despair and piss, no scratch that, despair, piss and shit.

 

Her nose scrunched up at the thought, both of the terrible scent of the room and the fact that this would absolutely ruin her clothes, and she liked these.

 

Though considering that she might very well be executed via burning or via good, old decapitation, she wouldn't have to worry about that. One of the lovely guards opened a nearby empty cell and threw her face-first into it.

 

Robyn felt quite a bit of pain as her face collided with the ground, despite her best efforts to break her fall. And then heard the sound of the cell door, that needed serious oiling, she would be willing to add, close, and then it being locked.

 

The guards then just cleared out of the room. Leaving her in a poorly lit, terrible smelling room, locked in there. All alone. Robyn upon realising that there was no one else in the room, started to sob into her hands.


	2. The Prisoner and the Princess - Redux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna Winter tries to understand her new ward

**10th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Morning – The Royal Court – Anna Winter**

 

Annabelle Diana Winter was quite pretty, that's what people said anyway. She was not entirely inclined to agree with them, but she could see where they were coming from. Light brown skin, her long, wavy dark brown hair that framed her heart-shaped face and went down to her back. With those bright brown eyes that were speckled with silver, according to everyone, not that she believed them, most of them were gold diggers.

 

Though she couldn't exactly blame everything on her natural looks, her wardrobe was also the best in the Kingdom, a good example would be her purple court dress with gold trimmings, just like every other dress she owned and it was personally fitted to her, to show her off in the best light. Though considering the circumstances, she was also wearing His red ribbon in her hair.

 

The circumstances were that yesterday, what may very well be the Witch Queen resurrected. Anna wasn't really sure if she should be glad about that, on the one hand, it would give her closure, on the other hand, did she really want it? The ghosts of the war should be allowed to rest, at the very least. Though this might give the dead the justice they deserved, that was why Acoroma still turned, so that the living could bring justice.

 

They were going to put the possible doppelganger on trial; find out if she really was that woman. The woman who had taken Him from her. Who had extinguished so many lives.

 

Anna felt fury build in her chest as she thought about it. Though as she took her place on a small, hand-carved wooden throne, she tried to contain her anger. Her throne wasn't as comfortable as she would've liked, though it was empowering in a way she felt like the weight of the worlds was on her shoulders.

 

The room itself was quite warm in both colours and actual feeling. Bright greyish stone made up most of the interior, with rich mahogany bannisters for the gallery and velvety carpets along the ground. As well as a long tapestry that goes around the room, depicting the history of the Kingdom. Though as always, it was left incomplete. Just behind the throne was a series of stain glass panels that cast the room in a multicoloured light. And considering the circumstances, a single round glass panel, that would throw light on someone was opened up. There were also a few, glass lanterns that radiated a bright orange glow around the room.

 

A small cordon of the Royal Knights was placed in front of the throne, they were all dressed in full armour and armed, waiting for battle. Their plate armour glimmering in the light that was allowed in the room, those who wore their coat of arms wore them proudly, with it being illuminated by the distant candlelight.

 

Anna couldn't fault them, most were veterans of the war, they were standing at full attention and were tense as a coiled spring, most refused to even take their hands off their weapons. Their tense mood was similar to Anna's, if she were allowed to, she would've brought Courage with her.

 

In the gallery, overlooking the proceedings would be the beautiful ladies of the realm, adorned in may multi-coloured dresses, each one more bizarre and outlandish than the last, as each lady tried to outdo their peers.

 

Her father sat down in the throne next to her, as stern as always, he was a walking reminder of what the war had done to people. His mood was the same as the Royal Knights and had decided to wear chainmail over his royal red tunic.

 

The Witch Queen's doppelganger was brought into the court in shackles, irons around her wrists and six of the castle guards, armed with their short spears and round shields were escorting her. They looked to be calmer than the knights, though most of them hadn't fought in the war.

 

She looked odd, to say the least.

 

Her skin was paler than that of a northman. Her hair was no longer a mane of raven hair that flowed down her back; instead, it was a long braided ponytail that was slung over one of her shoulders, and it seemed to be heavily frazzled from her stay in the dungeon, something about it made Anna smile.

 

Her clothes were the strangest thing about her, a rather distinctive foreign style, with black knee-high boots, black hosen made of a material that Anna couldn't possibly name and an odd black collared tunic and this was all topped off with a red and black plaid jacket.

 

All that Anna could think was that she did look particularly witchy, she looked more like she was in mourning or was one of Duke Proudsong's spies. Another image that came to mind was of an odd merchant, possibly from the other side of the Empire, the Freeholds or even the Great Sand Sea, her posture was more submissive than regal. Though Anna wasn't sure if that was what death would've done to people, brushes with death had a way of humbling people so actual death should be more humiliating, at that thought, Anna felt her eyes drag to the familiar black scales of one particular knight, well it humbled almost everyone.

 

It was hard to believe that this was the woman who had burned men's souls in the Bloody Valley; conducted the massacre of the Burned Fields and killed her uncle, as she thought of this, her anger increased.

 

The Witch Queen's doppelganger was marched into the centre of the room, with every set of eyes fixed upon her, judging her and finding her wanting.  She was stopped in the centre of the light so that the Architect himself would see the truth.

 

She looked at everyone, her emerald eyes taking in every aspect of the room, the tense atmosphere the way at least a good half of the room's occupants wanted her dead. She considered all of this, and with a somewhat confused look on her face, she made the poor choice of opening her mouth.

 

"Why exactly am I here?" she asked. Her voice was lyrical and soft, though seemed to have the backing of steel in it.

 

"You should know exactly why you are here, witch!" one of the knights, Ser Alexander Bronzewing, if memory served, said. He was the knight who had made the arrest himself, though had clearly not read the charges. "You've already caused enough grief to the realm."

 

The woman looked somewhat amused at this "Really, it's funny. I don't remember doing any of that." she responded. Anna felt her grip on her throne get tighter as she wondered how well that neck would look with a noose around it.

 

"You've told me I'm a witch. Which, might I add, I am not. You've told me I'm some sort of monster, but without a shred of evidence." She paused "I mean, you'd think I'd remember at least one massacre." She dramatically shrugged her manacles jingling as she said it. "But alas, I don't."

 

Anna felt red hot fury rise within her at such a statement, and it appeared that such a sentiment was shared by everyone else in the court based on how incandescent with rage they sounded.

 

One of the other knights, Ser Arthur Wolfsbane, voiced everyone's unspoken question "You mean to tell us that you don't remember the Burned Fields where so many were slaughtered for no reason or the Bloody Valley where you burnt men's souls." He paused and pointed at her "These were massacres that you, yourself participated in, and yet you deny all memory of them."

 

"I don't even know where those places are." she said, Anna couldn't believe it, there was no way that she was that ignorant "And I don't remember what I might've done there."

 

She looked directly at Alexander "Though of course, when you need to make yourself look good, you'll arrest anyone. Even when you refuse to tell them why they are being imprisoned" the woman looked around "Though if I am to be tried, I'd like to know what my 'crimes' are supposed to be." she took a step towards Anna's father. "Or is that too much to ask for?"

 

Anna's father spoke up. "You want to know what you are being charged for?" he asked, his voice was deep and bassy, it commanded the attention of everyone in the room. "You are charged with High Treason, one count of Attempting to Usurp the Crown, Inciting a rebellion, two separate counts of massacres, two counts of regicide, impersonating a member of the Royal Family and with the murder of thousands of good men and women who served the throne." he rattled off from memory, he must have been up at night memorising the list of charges. "Do you mean to tell me that you remember nothing, that none of that is familiar?"

 

The woman made a show of processing that, even putting a hand to her chin. "My memory has been a little foggy since these shackles were placed on my wrists." she snarked, "But I can tell you this much for sure, my lord. I. Remember. Nothing." she slowly said. "In case some of your guard dogs here find that to be too complicated, I'm not the person who you think I am. You've got the wrong person."

 

Alexander piped up, "He is no lord, he is your rightful king." he cut in, his voice was indignant "He is the Winter King, King Helias, the Elder, the Second of his Name, and he deserves your respect."

 

The woman looked somewhat confused at this "Never heard of him." she said simply "Or is it hard for you to comprehend that someone doesn't recognise your precious king." Anna was wondering if hanging would be too merciful and instead imagined this woman's head on a pike as she gripped her throne to try to swallow her anger. "But I suppose I should have some manners, Your Majesty, I am not this Witch Queen who you believe me to be.  My name is Robyn Lancaster, and I am innocent of the charges levelled against me unless looking like a criminal is a crime now."

 

At this several of the lords started muttering in not-so-hushed tones, wondering who this 'Robyn Lancaster' person was. Wondering if this was an act, or just simply asking if she really was the monster they thought she was. Anna felt similar questions brewing in her head as she thought about that name, the word 'Lancaster' was unfamiliar to her, but the name 'Robyn' was also quite uncommon among the peasantry, and that is what Robyn had to be. Anna was almost sure that this Robyn woman was smirking at the discussion this was caused.

 

Anna looked towards her father, whose eyes were closed as he thought through all the possible arguments. He held up his hand in an unspoken command for silence that was followed by the nobility, their voices stopping like they were fading from existence.

 

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The silence stretched on in the Court, for a second, then two and then three, as everyone waited for the King to say something.

 

"Well then, since I can't raise charges against someone just on the basis of looking like the Witch Queen." he began "I will delay your trail until a later date when new evidence emerges."

 

It is evident that this satisfied no one, the knights, who wanted vengeance for all those they lost during the war were displeased, the nobility was wondering who this person even was, and the woman herself, Robyn Lancaster, was looking not entirely pleased with the results. Anna herself was wondering if this woman was the Witch Queen, then she was obviously not a witch, this was the woman who had burned men's souls to a crisp and who had damn near levelled Summermount. It was hard to fit the images of the two women together.

 

The Witch Queen was loud and bombastic, an absolute villain, the best this Robyn woman was would be a snarky foreigner. Anna wasn't sure what some of the knights would do to the woman if they got their hands on her.

 

Helias held up his hand again, asking for silence. "But," he continued "I can't have a possible Witch Queen running around unattended." Robyn looked like she was about to interrupt, but he continued "As such, I am going to have to leave the care of her to someone within the court."

 

Anna wasn't sure what to do, she was curious about this foreigner and was scared about what some of the knights might do to her. But on the other hand, this was someone who looked a lot like the person who had taken Him from Anna.

 

"I would like to watch over this woman, father." Anna said, she didn't really intend to, but realised that she had vocalised her thoughts. She noticed how the eyes of everyone in the room fell upon her. And this included the eyes of 'Robyn' as well, who seemed to have her head tilted to the sides but would've been alright to have the shackles off her wrists.

 

"Are you sure if you want to do this?" Helias asked, a small bit of concern leaking into his voice, "This is a dangerous woman, you know what the Witch Queen has done to our family."

 

Anna felt a small twinge as she reminded herself of Him, she was wearing His red ribbon in his hair after all. She nodded her head "Don't worry, if she isn't the Witch Queen, then she won't be a threat. But if she is, well. I'm sure I could simply snap my fingers and get some help." she argued.

 

Helias looked like he wanted to argue but apparently decided against it. He sighed and called out "Well then, I, The Winter King, Helias the Elder, the Queenslayer, the Reluctant, the Second of my Name, King of Emain and Duke of the Broken Armies," he rattled off his list of titles "hereby place you, Robyn Lancaster into the care of Her Highness, the Crown Princess Annabelle Diana Winter." There was a beat of silence in the room as the knights, who were tenser than a coiled spring, looked like they were internally debating whether or not they should clap at that.

 

Anna looked at her new ward, the pale woman, with a look of solemness and acceptance upon her face. Went down onto one knee. Her manacles jingling as she knelt. "Well then, Your Highness, I am but a humble servant" Anna didn't believe that for a second, but she was curious about this woman ", but I will accept your gracious offer to place me under your care."

 

Anna got up off her small throne and walked towards the woman, her steps ringing out clearly against the hard stone as every knight prepared to leap into action. Robyn looked so unimpressive up close, and she stank of the dungeons, though that was obvious.

 

She used her right hand to tilt the woman's face up and forced her emerald eyes to meet Anna's brown eyes. They looked kind of pretty now that Anna thought about it. In fact, with some better clothes, she'd look like a Northern Princess, maybe from Yaegary or the Freeholds. Anna couldn't even begin to recognise such a clothing style from anywhere on Pacajteroj.

 

"Get these shackles off her, she won't be of much use is she has these shackles around her wrists." Anna ordered at one of the guardsmen. A rather tall looking fellow.

 

The guard looked apprehensive but walked up to Robyn and unlocked the shackles, there was a look of pure unadulterated joy on Robyn's face as she was freed from her restraints. "Thank you very much, Your Highness." She said, seeming like an entirely different person from a minute ago. Though that confident, sarcastic mask seemed to slip on a second afterwards.

**No one tells me the date – Late Morning – That Castle – Robyn Lancaster**

 

Robyn was not sure what to think about this princess. On the one hand, she would prefer being in this princess' company rather than being in the company of those knights.

 

She meant that well, those knights looked like they were ready to just plunge a longsword into her chest and be done with it. She didn't think that this was a dream, those thoughts were both unproductive, and she knew that she didn't have a good enough imagination for these things.

 

Though that brought her thoughts down to her new captor, or guardian, whichever term was more useful here. She didn't like the Witch Queen, that was obvious. So, why did she volunteer herself? Did she have an ulterior motive? Robyn shook her head to rid herself of these thoughts as she followed Anna on her way out of the room.

 

Robyn really loved the place's decor though. Gave a nice regal vibe, even if she didn't like tapestry and embroidering as much as everyone else who loved their fingers.

 

Though as she walked behind the princess, their steps echoing out against the cold stone floor, her dress flowing behind her and Anna's sunkissed features being illuminated by the sun that shone through the windows.

 

She honestly looked like the main heroine from a fantasy story, the princess who was the valiant hero's reward for saving the Kingdom, God, she hated that thought, she did want to find the first person who wrote that idea, just to throttle them. Actually no, not that Robyn thought about it, Anna didn't look like a fantasy heroine, she wasn't nearly pale or bland enough.

 

Robyn giggled at that thought, wondering how a high fantasy creator would make her look. Well, she'd be bland as shit, pale as a doll, with long strawberry blonde hair, shaped like an hourglass and with eyes like sapphires. And absolutely no self-respect when it comes to being shoved in the direction of a hero.

 

Instead, there she was, not a cliche but a real person, not like a perfect little doll for someone. But an actual person capable of choices, like her questionable choice of freeing Robyn.

 

Robyn was trying to remember the route that she was walking. It seemed to be along a corridor, and they were now going up a spiral staircase, it was illuminated in orange light from torches that were in scones along the grey stone walls.

 

Robyn was walking much closer to the Princess, and she started to notice a familiar scent, but one that she did not expect to perceive in such a place. It smelt like a crackling fire, somewhat reminiscent of home, though there was also the strange scent of a coming storm, it was all there, under the sweet perfume of roses. Robyn sniffed the air and realised that she didn't imagine that scent. It really did smell like roses, crackling fire and a coming storm.

 

"Is it customary to sniff princesses in your homeland?" Anna asked, with a smug tone in her voice, as she continued walking, Robyn could hear Anna's smirk.

 

"No." Robyn answered, "Though it's not usually customary for Royalty to smell like the coming storm."

 

"Wait, I've been wondering where do you come from exactly?" Anna asked, curiosity in her voice. Robyn thought and new that Anna wouldn't believe her.

 

"It's a wonderful and beautiful city, with towering spires of glass." Robyn answered, thinking of her home Even if she knew that it would almost certainly sound like madness to most people here.

 

Anna's footsteps stopped in her spiral staircase. "If you're going to lie to me, then I'll ask for the knights to keep you." She responded, though Anna could see that it was a bluff.

 

"I'm not lying." Robyn responded "My homeland is not on any map. Believe me or not, it is the truth." She added, Robyn knew that the Princess wouldn't believe her either way.

 

They both started to walk up the stairs again. They both walked in comfortable silence as Anna clearly processed what she had heard.

 

Robyn noted with some small amount of amusement that she was taller than the Princess. Sure it was only a few inches taller, but it was still something that she found funny.

 

Though she thought about this Witch Queen lady and about how much Anna seemed to hate her and Robyn felt one of her oldest curses bubbling away. Her damnable curiosity, she just had to know things.

 

"Your Highness, if you don't mind me asking," Robyn began, trying to think of the best way to phrase the question "Who exactly was this Witch Queen?" She hadn't phrased it that well.

 

They had exited the spiral staircase and were walking down another corridor when Anna had grabbed Robyn by the lapels of her jacket and had pressed her up against a wall in something that would've been intimidating if she wasn't shorter. "She was an evil witch. She looked like you, she killed some of my family members and, to top it all off, I don't even know if she was family." She answered, clearly not telling all that much. It was just what she felt comfortable saying.

 

It didn't matter, Robyn could always look it up later. If this damnable castle had a library, or if she could actually read the language here.

 

She could speak the language, so it shouldn't be too big of a stretch to think that she could read it as well. Though this was about five seconds before it was spelt in phonetics or in an entirely new alphabet, both of which were not a fun thing to imagine.

 

Suddenly Anna stopped in front of a door and opened it, dragging a surprised Robyn in with her.

**I need to ask what day it is – Late Morning – One Hell of a Room – Robyn Lancaster**

 

The room that she was dragged into was ... lavish and beautiful.

 

The first thing that she noticed was a four-poster bed with a royal blue duvet and a white blanket over that, the bed frame was made out of some sort of dark hardwood, that Robyn was quite sure was mahogany, this was all surrounded by a royal blue canopy. Robyn was sure that she spotted a symbol of some kind on the duvet but didn't feel the need to question it.

 

The next thing that she noticed as she was dragged into the room was a massive portrait of Anna, she was sitting down upon a chair and appeared to be younger in this image. A frown was across her features, though a golden crown rested upon her head and she was wearing a purple and gold dress, similar to the one that the real woman was dressed in right now.

 

Around the walls, near the bed, there was what could best be described as a small library's worth of books that were stacked in a large bookshelf, with a small stepladder nearby to reach some of the higher up books.

 

Next to the bookshelf, there was a small loveseat, with a dark wood frame and royal blue cushions, it looked very comfortable and expensive, much like everything else in the room.

 

There was a large glass window along one side of the room that allowed sunlight to illuminate the bedroom. A few carefully placed candle lanterns would allow for lighting of the room during the night.

 

Unsurprisingly, there was a rather large dresser next to the painting of Anna, that appeared to be made out of the same dark wood as the rest of the room.

 

Robyn tripped slightly on the rather large rug that was atop the hard stone floor of the room. From what little that Robyn could see it depicted a crest of some kind, her current guess was that it was either the sigil of the Kingdom or of her family.

 

Robyn was distracted from her inner description of the room by a soft lyrical sound, that was the other room's occupant and her laughing at Robyn nearly tripping.

 

"Having trouble with the blanket?" Anna asked, laughter in her voice and a smile upon her face.

 

"It snuck up on me, Your Highness," Robyn responded. "It probably won't happen again."

 

"I would certainly hope not, can't have you tripping up everywhere when you're going to be sleeping here every night." Anna said, dropping that piece of news like a penny.

 

Robyn stopped for a few seconds as she processed what exactly she had heard, as she thought about the implications, a blush spread across her face, showing past her make-up that made her paler than normal.

**10th Day of the Rose Blooms – Noon – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

 

There was something that was adorable about observing this Robyn woman blush, even if she couldn't fully see it behind her makeup. Honestly, who wears makeup to make themselves paler?

 

Anna turned to her dresser and tried to see if there was something she had that would suit Robyn, even though their measurements were different. She did have some ... less feminine clothes in her dresser somewhere. She looked at Robyn and then back to her clothes, and then back at Robyn again.

 

Oh gods, those clothes are not going to fit her, either in measurements or style. Anna mentally ran through a list of stores that she could take Robyn to in order to get her some get some clothes that didn't smell like the dungeons. There was the shop known as the Silk and Steel Tailors.

**10th Day of the Rose Blooms – Noon – Silk and Steel Tailors – Apprentice Natalie**

 

The inside of Silk and Steel felt like Natalie's own personal paradise and hell because, on the one hand, it allowed her to work on her passion in life, which was clothing and tailoring, which was a hellish profession and often times overlooked at when it came to basically everything.

 

It didn't exactly help that her main customers were female adventurers, who had no sense of patience and noblewomen, who were not known for paying up front and not liking her.

 

The main room of the Silk and Steel Tailor was something that she adored more than anything else. It was filled with clothes of every colour and kind, adorning racks that filled the room, each one of them was something that she herself had made with her own two hands.

 

The room itself was made out of light brown hardwood, with a pair of windows at the front that made the place feel less stuff. Hanging at strategic angles in the shop, there were a few torch sconces, which she currently didn't need to make use of. It was sunny enough, and besides, she needed to save money on the torches anyways, the summer droughts would be coming up soon, so she would need to save up for some water.

 

Natalie herself was standing behind the hardwood counter. Behind her was a small beaded curtain that led to her backroom, and another one off to the side that leads to the fitting rooms.

 

The tailor herself liked to think she was kinda cute. She had long straight lightish red, almost bordering on pink, hair that came down to her waist. Her hair framed her round face and highlighted her pale skin, showing off her Northman heritage.

 

Her eyes were lightish grey, she always likened them to the silver that she was paid for her work. She had a full smile that was almost omnipresent, and it was honestly more than her customer service smile, it was her 'I love my job' smile.

 

She was wearing a somewhat cliche pinkish dress with floral patterns on it, though it didn't match her brown leather tailor's apron that had all the tools of her trade stuffed in there. She would admit that her figure was alright, not great but not bad. Though she would owe part of that to the fact that she sometimes forgot to eat.

 

The doors to her shop opened and in stepped literal royalty, and a face that seemed almost otherworldly entered the room. Natalie was used to having highborn and unusual customers, but that didn't prepare her for the Crown Princess blessing the store with her patronage, and then there was the otherworldly looking woman.

 

Natalie instantly focused on the unfamiliar clothing, it seemed to be intricately made, and the seams were almost impossible to detect from this distance. All that black cast an interesting image and even more, her skin was so pale it looked like she had never seen the sun in her life, or was a ghost of some kind. Though that did not diminish her beauty, and her foreign clothes suited her quite well, and Natalie would not deny that she wondered where these clothes came from so she could learn their techniques.

 

The Princess, of course, looked radiant as always, with her sunkissed skin, long brown hair that flowed down her back like a waterfall and those purple clothes that fitted her figure quite well. Natalie decided she might need to talk to Marc again to get his copy of 'The Witch and the Maiden' for later reading purposes.

 

Natalie quickly regained her composure and performed a quick curtsy. "Your Highness, you bless me your patronage." she said with a professional voice.

 

The Princess looked slightly awkward in this situation, she would naturally be used to curtsying, but it seemed like part of it still irked her. "I would like some clothes made for my acquaintance here." the Princess requested awkwardly, gesturing to her companion.

 

"After all this, I'm only an acquaintance?" The outlander said, "And here I thought we had something special." she added. Natalie decided that she would definitely like that copy of The Witch of the Maiden. The Princess shot her companion a sharp glare "I'm just kidding, don't let those knights anywhere near me."

 

Natalie was wondering exactly what was with the woman, sure most people didn't like the Royal Knights, especially with that Ser Alexander strutting around, acting like the city's sheriff, but that usually wasn't enough to inspire such a reaction in people.

 

Deciding to continue on and drag her eyes away from the pale woman, "What exactly would you like for your clothes?" Natalie asked, making sure to remain professional. As she looked at her and then at the Princess.

 

"Well..." the woman began, seemingly considering something "A darkish grey tunic would be nice, combine that with a pair of black leather breeches, a black leather vest and a pair of over knee boots, just guess the colour."

 

The lack of a colour palette, or more accurately the one note-colour palette was enough to make Natalie sick to her stomach. She could understand that some people liked a certain colour, but it typically wasn't something as dull as black. Natalie though knew that a sale was a sale.

 

"Of course, follow me through to the fitting room as I see if we have something that would fit already made." the tailor responded as she stepped from out behind her counter and gestured to the fitting room.

 

The pale woman entered it, and Natalie went about going through her premade clothes to look for the requested clothes. There was a black leather vest and a pair of breeches that were easily found. She could also then acquire a couple of over-knee boots, even if the cost was a tad bit high.

 

The last piece of clothing was not something that she had access to. "Um, would you prefer a red tunic or a light grey tunic?" She asked her customer.

 

"Light grey should work." The soft voice of the pale woman responded from behind the bead curtains. "So are you going to just throw it in here, or are you going to fit me in the room?" She asked.

 

Natalie got an interesting thought about what could happen in that room, but dismissed it.


	3. Insomnia - Redux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ser Alexander of House Bronzewing finds the newest addition to the Court to be irritating.

**10th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Evening – Banquet Hall – Ser Alexander**

 

Alexander Bronzewing was the sort of person who liked to think that he followed the Code of the Knight as well as the Code of the Paladin well enough, something which led many to believe that he enjoyed ‘Jumping the Crossbow’ as it were, due to his zealous performing of duties. A factor of the Code of the Paladin was that he was not to be angry without reason and he knew that he shouldn’t be angry by someone who only seemed guilty but that did not mean that he could stop his anger today.

 

The woman, ‘Robyn Lancaster’, sat at the King’s table at the banquet, Alexander was not sure how this woman managed to charm the princess or convince the entirety of court of her apparent innocence, but he was determined to find out.

 

She was the Witch Queen, he was sure of it, it was the Witch Queen’s face that she wore, Alexander knew that her face wasn’t one you forgot, sure she acted the part of an amnesiac or fool well enough, but he knew that she would slip up eventually, everyone always did.

 

_“But what if he was wrong? What if she wasn’t the Witch Queen?”_ The thought pierced through his head, he put a piece of pork in his mouth as he glared at the pale woman, no one was that naturally pale and she appeared in a flash of magic in the centre of town, he wasn't entirely sure why she wasn't introduced to the executioner the second she appeared, it was suspicious at best, it was a wonder that she is not in a dungeon.

 

"Hey, Alexander, you alright mate?" One of his comrades and his older brother, Ser Darian, said, holding a goblet of wine.

 

"Just caught in thought," Alexander responded, putting a bit of pork into his mouth and chewing

 

"Mad that you lost the trail? I mean, His Majesty killed the Witch Queen so it’s unlikely that this Robyn woman is even her." He said and took a sip of wine, Alexander swallowed his pork.

 

"But how did she manage to charm the princess?" Alexander asked, "Have you seen how willing the Her Highness was to be the one who watched this 'Robyn' woman?"

 

"She was probably worried that you might try to throw her back into the dungeon. I mean you don't have your reputation for nothing."

 

"You're probably right..." Alexander muttered, placing a bit of bread into his mouth in order to stop himself from muttering something else.

 

"Come on mate, don't be so glum all the time, I hear that it's bad for your health," Darian took a sip of wine "We're at peace, so maybe you can smile once in a while."

 

Alexander looked at Robyn again, the woman seemed to set off some warning in his head that she was wrong or didn't quite belong here. Though she was just eating pork and bread like everyone else there, so it was probably nothing, even if she was just as hesitant to touch the wine as he seemed to be.

 

Then they made eye contact, Robyn grabbed her goblet, holding it oddly with the bowl of the goblet resting atop her open palm, she raised it to him like it was a toast and took a sip of it in a manner that he found to be extremely smug, her eyes glimmered with a bit of humour that infuriated Alexander even more.

 

He was definitely going to perform extra training tonight if only to work out his frustration.

**10th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Evening – Training Yard – Ser Alexander**

 

Alexander swung his longsword into the training dummy again, and again and again, he knew that if his father had seen how he was swinging his sword then he would be disinherited but he couldn't care less, not when he was just trying to unleash his anger, the newest addition to the Grand Keep's court, Robyn Lancaster, was simply infuriating.

 

He swung the sword again, sinking the blade into the straw of the training dummy. There was sweat pouring down his face, he knew that he was not getting as much exercise as he did during the Witch Queen's War, he took a few heavy breaths, "yep, definitely getting out of shape." he muttered to himself.

 

He resolved to continue his double his efforts when it came to training in the morning. Alexander walked towards the training dummy and grabbed his blade out of the straw man. Spinning it in his hand, he sheathed the sword.

 

He heard footsteps above him, he looked around and saw that there was a light moving around the Keep, thanking himself that he wasn't wearing his armour, he ran into the keep and went to the source of the light.

 

If memory served, the light seemed to be coming from the Princess' Room, the soft leather of his boots made barely any sound on the floor of the keep, he heard the sound of someone else's steps as he rounded another corner, the person was leaving the princess' room and was instead heading towards him. He went behind the corner and held his breath as the steps came closer. His hands found the hilt of his dagger, as the steps came closer to him, closer and closer and ... it stopped.

 

Whoever was walking through the castle had probably heard him or ... after a solid minute, he risked a glance around the corner and saw that there was no one there, but the door to the keep's library and archives was ajar.

 

Steeling himself he crept into the library.

**10th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Evening – Grand Keep Library – Ser Alexander**

 

He stepped into the library carefully, the carpeted floor of the library absorbing any sound that his boots made as he crept forward. Amongst some of the shelves, he thought that he saw the flicker of a candle.

 

He heard a feminine voice mumble something, he crept closer to the location of the voice, "Witch Queen, Witch Queen..." The voice mumbled, he realised what the voice was, it was that woman, Robyn. She was in the room. "Witch Queen, Witch Queen... Witch qu- hello." The voice mumbled, presumably she was trying to find information on the Witch Queen's War, for what reason, he could not guess. "The History of the Grand and Honourable House Winter." She said, reading the title of what she found aloud, he could hear the sound of pages being flipped at a quick pace "King Ywain the Strong, killed by the Witch Queen in single combat, King Helias the Young, poisoned by the Witch Queen." Robyn muttered as she read, Alexander felt his chest tighten at the mention of King Ywain, the knight was barely a squire when he saw the Witch Queen cut down the King. "It only refers to her as the Witch Queen ... maybe if I could find some sort of book on the Queen herself." There was a slight humming sound as Alexander hid from the woman who seemed rather curious about the woman whose face she wore. "Ser Alexander, I know you're there."

 

Alexander stepped out of the shadows when he realised that he had been found out

 

"You make a lot of noise for someone who is trying to sneak around." She remarked "Is that a dagger in your hand? Are you trying to assassinate me?" She gave a small tutting sound "You have a probable cause and everything, everyone would know it was you before the day is out. Are you sure you're willing to try it?"

 

"No." Alexander said, ignoring the shame that overcame him at the thought of assassinating her. "I'm not willing to try it. But I have to ask why exactly you are here."

 

"I'm an insomniac and I was curious about this Witch Queen who everyone keeps accusing me of being-" She yawned "And I didn't want to wake up the Princess up with my reading and mumbling."

 

"How did you know it was me?"

 

"I took a guess, Her Highness was asleep, His Majesty is probably asleep and you were one of the only people who I knew was awake, that and you were really suspicious of me."

 

"So... what exactly are you going to do now."

 

"I will probably read until I feel the need to sleep and hopefully I won't pass out on the way back to my accommodations." She shrugged.

 

"Where are your accommodations?" Alexander asked, it would be hard to think that this witch would willingly return to her cell in the dungeon or that Her Highness had organised a room for her yet.

 

"Her Highness' bedchamber." Robyn stated bluntly, before looking off to the side "...It's complicated."

 

That settled it. Alexander stormed out of the room, he was determined to make sure that he got help against this witch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter, I know and this is the first chapter that I wrote when I returned to Northern Ireland, I'm not entirely sure if that is a good thing.
> 
> I am begging you to please leave me a kudos or a comment of any kind, just something to know that someone is reading this and thinks enough of it to either press a button or write a single sentence.


	4. Days at Court

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Duo of Anna Winter and Robyn Lancaster spend some days at Court, while Ser Alexander leaves the Capitol to enlist extra help.

**13th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Royal Court – Anna Winter**

"You do know that I have a perfectly serviceable set of clothes," Robyn muttered to Anna, "so why am I wearing this dress?" Robyn was wearing one of Anna's lilac court dresses, it would've been alright if the outlander had the same measurements as Anna, unfortunately, Robyn didn't have the same measurements as Anna, she was a bit taller for one and generally speaking, she had a bit of a different figure then the princess. which meant that the dress with ill-fitting, which wasn't exactly the best thing for when one was wearing a rather gaudy dress.

 

"You couldn't very well wear your breeches and tunic at Court." Anna responded, "You are a lady, you can't get away with wearing such simple clothes."

 

"You could've told me you were planning to take me to court when I was at the tailor's," Robyn responded, "this dress doesn't fit me, it's a bit too tight around the chest and not to mention that I'm too tall for it."

 

"Not all of us get to walk around in this clothing and anyway, I am to become Queen, I must be seen in Court occasionally," Anna said.

 

"Lords and Ladies of the Realm," Helias spoke up, sitting on his golden throne in what could be best described as a comfortable elegance, "It pleases me to say that the gathering of the Nobility will begin on the first day of Cherry Winds." There was an applause at that announcement, the Gathering of Nobility was seen as one of the biggest social events in the Kingdom and only happened once a year. "Also as the Witch Queen's War fades into memory, it pleases me to announce that many of the nobility will be making their debut at the Gathering of Nobility." He added with a slight smile. There was an applause at that as well. After the announcements were done, several different nobles petitioned the Court for various things, but Anna had dragged Robyn out of the Court by that point.

**13th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Grand Keep – Anna Winter**

 

Anna and Robyn were making their way through the hallways of the Grand Keep, "So you need to be at Court, but it is totally acceptable to run off in the middle of Court." Robyn snarked, sounding a bit confused.

 

"Are you complaining?"

 

"No... I'm just trying to understand your motivations." Robyn responded,

 

"I need to get you a dress that will fit you, several in fact." Anna answered, looking at the outlander like she was a bit slow, "I can hardly have you wearing an ill-fitting dress at the Gathering."

 

"I'm hearing tunic and breeches."

 

"No, if you wear those, I can and will give you over to Ser Alexander." Anna stared into the eyes of Robyn, offering a silent challenge. _"Provided I can actually find him."_ She thought

 

"Fine, but as long as we go back to Silk and Steel." Robyn said, giving in far too easily "I think I saw some good dresses there." She added

 

"And of course, you wear dresses," Anna said sarcastically

 

"I do. Occasionally." Robyn responded, "It's not like all of my clothes will be black."

 

Anna made a small agreeing sound "I will make sure of it, the Gathering of Nobles is at least two weeks long, even if it is only officially a week long."

 

"Sounds like a party." Robyn muttered, "I hate parties."

 

"Yes... a single measly party, what hard luck you must have." Anna snarked at the Outlander.

**13th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Silk and Steel Tailors – Anna Winter**

Anna always wondered why Natalie seemed to be the only person who was at the shop, while she did occasionally see other customers in the shop, she never saw the owner of the shop.

 

"Natalie, question," Anna asked the apprentice looked up at attention from the work of measuring the outlander "Where exactly is the owner of the shop?"

 

"Master Atlas? I think he's at Sparrow's Reach," Natalie answered, then turned her attention back to her work, murmuring measurements "He's been gone for several days now, before then, he spent a lot of time in the back, pouring over ledgers."

 

"Oh," Anna responded, she knew of Sparrow's Reach, everyone in the Capitol knew about it. It was the estate of a money lender, Lord Edward the Treacherous, he was kind with his interest rates apparently, but you didn't want to break his trust. The fact that Atlas was pouring over ledgers meant that he was struggling to find money to repay the loan. "Anyway," she said, trying to change the topic, "do you think that you could get several good court dresses ready for the Gathering of Nobles?"

 

"Let's see..." Natalie stopped taking measurements and recorded down several measurements, mumbling the measurements, "labour costs, materials, quality and time frame." She makes a few calculations in the air, moving her finger around like she's tracing something in sand, "When is the Gathering?" Natalie asked

 

"The first day of Cherry Winds," Robyn answered, still holding herself in the 'T-pose' as she called it

 

"Okay, so I have about seventeen days..." She muttered, making a few more air calculations "pull a few overnighters, then... couple hundred for silk... depends on the dyes, let's assume a few hundred for the dresses... That would be..." she mumbled something to herself "Let's say about three and a half thousand silver because I like you,"

 

"Three thousand." Anna haggled

 

"Three and a quarter," Natalie responded, flashing her far-too-happy grin.

 

"Good enough." The two shook hands. "Could I get back to you with that silver? I don't really carry three and a quarter thousand silver around." Natalie nodded in response. "Wait... how much would that be in gold?"

 

"About three and a half coins, I believe that I can get you the difference in silver," Natalie responded, the brunette reached into her coin pouch and pulled out four gold coins.

 

"Keep the change." Anna said, running another hand through her brown hair, she enjoyed seeing the beaming smile of Natalie.

 

"All right, can I direct you to the back so that you could try on one of the dresses?" The apprentice said, running a hand through her red hair. She held the other hand to the small curtain that led to the back of the shop.

**13th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Noon – Silk and Steel Tailors – Robyn Lancaster**

 

Robyn did certainly not like the corset that she wearing, how this managed to become part of fashion is a mystery to her, not that she overly minded, but as long as she didn't focus too much on the tightness around her chest.

 

The dress that she was asked to try on was a deep purple dress with golden trimmings around the rather conservative cut at her collarbones, the figure was quite slim, and she would say that it did highlight some of her better features. To complete the ensemble, she was wearing a pair of long gloves of the same colour. When she exited the small dressing room that Natalie had at the very back of the shop and did a small twirl in the dress, admiring the craftsmanship _. "It's very fine, Natalie is a damn slight more than an apprentice."_ She thought

 

"I presume that the only reason I would be able to get away with this is that I would be standing right next to the Princess," Robyn said out loud, for once she didn't try to put snark in her voice. Both the princess and tailor looked at the outlander with a confused look on their faces "Ah, nevermind, just a silly foreigner saying silly foreigner things."

 

"I would hesitate to ask why exactly there a restriction on people for what colour they would be wearing." Anna began "but I would presume that there was a reason."

 

 _"Ah... 'Good Queen Bess'."_ Robyn thought to herself, she sighed and spoke up "One queen made a law that forbade citizens below the rank of baron to wear purple and gold, eventually it kinda became the royal colours." She made a vague hand gesture as she said the last few words of the sentence. "So... I'm guessing that you'll be wanting me to wear this, Your Highness?"

 

"Of course, I think you look quite good in it." Anna said, looking at her "Also, please just call me Anna."

 

"I won't, which is why I've done everything in my power to avoid having to refer to you in conversation by name." Robyn responded, " _besides when the Evil Empire or the Northmen invades, I would rather not be the princess' emotional baggage."_ she added internally. To shift her thoughts to lighter tones, she opened her goddamn mouth again "Don't suppose there is anything else you want me to try out?"

 

"There are a few things."

 

**13th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Afternoon – Emain Countryside – Ser Alexander**

 

"So, brother, explain to me why you thought that we should get the help of uncle?" Darian asked. The two brothers didn't get along all that well, but when it came down to times of trouble, they weren't going to deny help to each other.

 

"Because Uncle Edward is skilled in court politics and this 'Robyn Lancaster' has been exerting pressure on Her Highness, if we want her removed from court, we will have to have to make use of wilier methods," Alexander explained.

 

"Ah, I never thought that I would see the day that my little brother would realise that there are methods aside from sword swinging and shouting litanies," Darian said sarcastically "I can feel myself tearing up slightly,"

 

"Shut up," Alexander said, he was not looking forward to getting the help of his uncle, "it should be a few days ride to Sparrow's Reach."

 

"How do you propose we get Uncle back into court? He was openly disgraced by King Ywain, not to mention that he is reviled throughout the Capitol as Edward the Treacherous, you would have a better time getting the Grim Company into Court than Uncle." Darian responded

 

"The Gathering of Nobles, dear brother," Alexander responded, effectively shutting his brother up.

 

The two knights were still riding down the countryside, making quick time by cutting across country, both of them knew where Sparrow's Reach was, even if they didn't want to go there, it was considered bad luck to go to that estate and they knew what their mother had told them of their uncle.

**13th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Mid-Afternoon – Grand Keep – Anna Winter**

 

There was something about the outlander that Anna found to be quite attractive, it might be the black hair and pale skin that gave a nice foreboding aura that Anna found to be beautiful in an exotic way, maybe it was seeing her barely controlled fury in the Court where she stood up to even her father like he was nothing. That or maybe it was because there were a few moments where Anna thought that she had seen the softer interior of the woman who wore the face of the Witch Queen.

 

The fact that she heard the outlander singing right now did not exactly help whatever it was she was feeling about now. The outlander was in an empty room in the keep, singing to herself, it was initially quite soft, but it picked up in volume as she got into herself and seemed to be satisfied that no-one was watching her. The words were odd to her, she understood the language but that was about all she understood.

 

Why she was hiding her singing from everyone else was obvious when she missed a note, to say the least, it sounded like someone had stepped on a cat. While she regained the tune, she started singing with renewed vigour, spinning in her boots as she sung, Anna got a clear view of what Robyn looked like when she was alone.

 

There was quite a lot of joy there, her eyes were closed but she was smiling wider than Anna ever thought she'd seen the outlander smile before.

 

As the outlander spun she opened her eyes and made direct eye contact with the princess. It is an amusing sight when he saw that the outlander's face became several shades red and her signing stopped immediately. She did a quick curtsy "Your Highness, I'm sorry that you had to hear that." She said, talking quickly and almost running her words together.

 

"No, it's alright," Anna responded. She was sure that if she wanted she could very easily command the outlander to tell her everything, but learning how to make someone open up about some of their hidden passions was something that she was supposed to learn. "I didn't know that you liked singing."

 

"I used to sing, I was a regular member of a choir." Robyn coughed slightly, looking off to the side and was obviously embarrassed "I'm dreadfully out of practice."

 

"I could tell, you missed a note earlier and it sounded like a cat being stepped on." Another shade of red came over the outlander

 

"Singing is calming, therapeutic and I have some fun doing it," Robyn responded, focusing on a particularly interesting spot of the floor. "It'sevenbetterwithanaudience." She added, her words running together

 

"Okay then," Anna said, she looked around the room for a chair but was interrupted by both hers and the outlander's stomachs rumbling at the same time "we shall have to arrange for that later, as I believe that both of us missed lunch."

**14th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Evening – Royal Chambers – Helias Winter**

 

Helias wasn't entirely sure about why his daughter had insisted on watching over Robyn. It did confuse him somewhat, though he had sworn that he would try to be the best father for his daughter and he would do that if nothing else.

 

He put a hand upon the old painting, he remembers that day clearly, how couldn't he, it was the first portrait that he got with his wife, Architect above, he was much better looking then, his brown hair tied into a low ponytail that was draped over his shoulder. His face was split into what would be called an unseemly grin, he knew that it was a political marriage, but he was sure that he loved his wife. He was, as usual, dressed in his armour, though it was ornate armour designed for court appearances more than for actual protection.

 

Standing next to him, with her arms linked, was his wife, Lady Diana, she was a foreign lady and the marriage was originally born out of securing the agreement for some trade routes, but over time the married couple began to love each other. She was about as tall as he was and clad in a resplendent white dress that was grand enough for a royal wedding, though what had always caught his eyes was her long blonde hair and how it flowed like a waterfall. How wonderful it looked with her and how much pride he felt at being able to call her his wife.

 

Helias stopped admiring the portrait, it brought up some bad memories, he was over the death of his wife and he found solace in raising his daughter, even if many talked behind his back about him being 'weak-willed' or how 'pathetic' it was that his heir was a woman. There was even more mumbling when Helias made it perfectly clear that he intended to make sure that his daughter was actually going to be taught how to rule the Kingdom, he would be damned if he saw his daughter being made into a puppet of some ambitious noble, despite the fact that the naysayers claimed that it was 'dooming the kingdom' or 'as good as treason'.

 

He shook his head to rid him of his thoughts, walking over to his second most treasured possession in his room, it was a harp, inlaid with silver and gold, encrusted with more jewels that he ever thought he would see, the harp was a wedding gift to him and he would admit, he treasured it almost as much as he treasured his daughter. Sitting on a stool next to the harp, he tried to do the one thing that always seemed to calm his mind, play the harp.

**14th Day of Rose Blooms – Midnight – Grand Keep Library – Robyn Lancaster**

 

Robyn was not sure here Ser Alexander had gone, but she was sure as hell glad that the idiot had decided to leave the keep for now. She could actually go about her late night excursions without some Lawful Neutral knight watching over her shoulder.

 

The library in this keep intrigued her more than anything, she knew that the Princess had bookshelves in her room, but Robyn was not nearly brave enough to interrupt the princess' sleep for reading. Besides, the library provided a nice place where she could forget what was troubling her with a book, or alternatively, overthink whatever was on her mind.

 

Tonight, she had settled on reading a book on the great noble houses of Emain, which was apparently the name of the kingdom she resided in. Though try as she might, the words did not seem to sink in, her mind drifted to her earlier interactions with the Princess, what exactly was her end-game in all this? What exactly was she trying to get out of Robyn? How has she not been married off to a random stranger to strengthen the alliance with France?

 

That last part made her chest hurt slightly, she placed her right hand over her heart, "Yeah... I'm not falling in love." she mumbled to herself.

 

"Not falling in love with who?" A deep voice said, Robyn turned around and saw King Helias standing in the doorway

 

"Your Majesty." She said, almost jumping out of her chair to perform a curtsy. "Forgive my lack of grace."

 

"There is no problem with that." He said, his deep voice booming through the room, Robyn found herself getting a bit annoyed at the deep bass of the King's voice "So tell me who are you not falling in love with?" He took a seat at one of the other chairs in the library.

 

"No-one, really," Robyn responded, ignoring how her cheeks were heating up, feelings were complicated and to be honest, Robyn was never good at dealing with them. "You couldn't get to sleep, sire?" She asked, desperate to change the topic.

 

"No, I've got a lot of things on my mind, one of them is you," He said, that level of bass in a man's voice was not natural, "I'm wondering what exactly are you planning to do."

 

"Nothing." Robyn responded easily, it was the truth "I am not a strong warrior, a great tactician or strategist, I'm hardly a Machiavellian schemer." She shrugged "I have no real end-game here, I'm not really smart enough for that." she lightly chuckled at her own self-depreciating joke.

 

"That's settled it." Helias said, his tone authoritative "there is no way in any Hell that you can be the Witch Queen." At the confused look of the Outlander, he responded: "You lack the ambition and the damnable pride to be her."

 

"But I could be lying," Robyn responded, actually sounding interested for once, "It is probably not a good idea to call off all charges based on a single midnight conversation and one that no-one else has seen." It was moronic to assume that someone was not a person because of a lack of pride or ambition

 

"I've never met anyone who was actually debating an innocent verdict."

 

"Only making sure that you don't make a mistake your Majesty." She responded dutifully. A yawn escaped from her lips "Sire, I must ask for my leave, I don't really want to be carried back to Her Highness' room." The outlander put the rather dry tome back on the shelf she found and proceeded to leave the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really hoping that this story is not absolute dog shite. It would be wonderful if someone commented on my stories, if only so that I could actually get a small amount of validation in my writing, that or a reality check on how bad my writing is, either one.


	5. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Gathering of Nobles, comes an interesting character, who appeared as suddenly as Robyn herself and seems to be sharp of mind and quick on his feet.

**21st Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – The Royal Court – Anna Winter**

Several days passed in the company of Robyn Lancaster, the more days passed, the less Anna believed the woman was a witch, it was quite charming how the woman managed to bumble her way around Anna's lessons in Court Etiquette, the woman was, of course, going to be a handmaiden to the Princess, when the charges against her were formally dropped.

 

Though that didn't matter at this moment, Robyn was still suspected of being a witch which meant that she was still to be treated like a prisoner and not like a guest, despite how well she fulfilled that role quite well. The Gathering of Nobility was in a few days and, as a member of the Royal Family, she was expected to partake in welcoming the travelling nobility of the Kingdom to Court, it wasn't exactly what many would consider to be a good job, a lot of the nobility tended to look at Anna like she was a tool to further their ambitions more than a person or like a piece of meat, depending on the lord.

 

"My mother would probably be proud and disappointed at the same time if she saw me wearing this," Robyn muttered into the princess' ear referring to the deep purple court dress that she was wearing

 

"You don't talk much about your mother."

 

"We didn't have a good relationship, turns out explaining to her that you don't want to sleep with men didn't go so well." She gave a slight shrug "She thought I was doing it just to get at her, we had that kinda relationship."

 

Before Anna could say anything else, the doors opened and some of the more minor of the nobility walked in, there were many different lords from minor houses that proudly liked to boast about glories long gone by, whether or not their house did that was another matter altogether, after each walked in, the royal herald announced them to the Court. When she was getting bored, in walked three members of the nobility, the first two were Ser Alexander and Ser Darian, the brothers of House Bronzewing, not dressed in armour but instead dressed in more formal court clothing. The figure who was behind them though was a person who Anna had never seen before in her life.

 

Standing with the amount of pride that a man would only have if he had a plan, he was dashingly handsome, in that polished, manufactured sort of way. Long auburn hair styled into a long ponytail, with a few grey hairs visible, a light amount of stubble across his face, which was auburn as well. Even from a distance, one could see that he had the walk and stance of a very rich man. "Presenting, Ser Alexander the Zealous of House Bronzewing, Ser Darian the Jovial of House Bronzewing." Announced the rather long-suffering herald, the other noble whispered something into the herald's ear "And representing Lord Edward the Treacherous, Lord Renfred of House Stone."

 

House Stone, House Stone, Anna hadn't heard of that House before, despite the fact that it was almost a stereotypical name for a minor noble house that followed House Winter when it won the Kingdom through Conquest, Anna hadn't ever heard of a House Stone in her life. Which meant that it was a fake name or that it was a new house, both of which were suspicious and what was worse was that he was representing Lord Edward, it practically set of alarms in her head.

 

"Lord Edward the Treacherous?" Robyn asked, sounding quite confused

 

"He tried to disgrace my aunt and replace her with someone that he could manipulate, to what ends, only he and the Architect knows." Anna responded, "He was apparently a good friend of my uncle."

 

"So this Lord Edward got thrown out of Court and got that epithet."

 

"You're learning, I see."

 

"And I'm guessing by your expression that he doesn't send representatives at these gatherings." Robyn guessed

 

"He doesn't show up at all, the last time he was there was when he was plotting to remove the Queen Consort." Lord Stone was walking towards the two, Anna stopped talking and fell back on her years of noble training.

 

"Your Highness," The Lord said, bowing deeply at the hip with an almost dramatic flourish "Tales of your beauty are told throughout Pacajteroj." Anna pretended to be flattered by the comment and returned it with a curtsy

 

"Thank you, Lord Stone. I trust that your trip to Serenity's Grace was pleasurable." She said with all the politeness of someone who had lived in the Capitol all her life, that is to say, that she treated him like one would treat a particularly venomous viper.

 

"It was wonderful," Lord Stone responded with a smile that didn't reach his eyes "If you are wondering about my noble credentials, it's a recent development, I'm entirely at the pleasure the Lady Bronzewing and Lord Edward, for the Gathering,"

 

"Indeed," Robyn responded, "I'm sure that a man who is known for treachery is someone who you want to be known to be in debt to." There was a hint of snark

 

"And you are...?"

 

"Robyn Lancaster, if you ask Ser Alexander, I'm the secret love child of the Witch Queen, or I am her, depending on his mood." She added, looking towards the knight in question, with a slight smirk. "But it is an absolute pleasure to meet you," she curtsied, but it was more mocking in nature.

 

"Charming..." Lord Stone muttered, "I've never heard of House Lancaster."

 

"And I've never heard of House Stone. The main difference is that I don't claim to be to a noble." Robyn responded, "I also don't represent a man whose main achievement is having a plot blow up massively in his face." She grinned.

 

"I like you." Lord Stone responded, with a small grin on his face. His icy blue eyes flashing with some sort of humour that Anna didn't understand, he walked away, his appearance and stature seemed to be much more than that of a minor noble, he was much more skilled than he was letting on.

 

"I couldn't have been the only one who noticed just how suspicious that guy was?" Robyn said to Anna, pointing at Lord Stone. "I was under the impression that Lordship was granted at the pleasure of the King."

 

Anna considered it for a second, lordship is only supposed to be granted by the King "In theory, yes, however that is only when the King has direct control of the land, lesser nobles are allowed to give lordship to their underlings." She rubbed her chin, Robyn wasn't skilled at the games of Court, but she might be able to spot something. "Why do you think he's suspicious?"

 

"His hair was heavily dyed, like more than the average old man trying to avoid having grey hair." She counted out the points on her hand, "Secondly, do you think any noble would willingly state that they were working for Lord Edward the Treacherous? He carried himself less like a minor noble and more like a confident mastermind."

 

"He could've been Lady Bronzewing's spymaster before he was given an estate," Anna responded Robyn considered it for a second and then another one.

 

"You're more skilled at this than I am," Robyn admitted, "so I'll leave this to your judgement. Oh look, Ser Alexander seems to want a talk with us." She pointed at the aforementioned knight, who was striding up to the two of them with contempt filled eyes, though it was hard to see whether the gaze was fixed on the Princess or the outlander. Alexander walked up to them, his face was split into a somewhat smug expression which was odd for the man who was known for being the furious face of the law.

 

"Your Highness." He bowed at the hip before turning to Robyn "Witch."

 

"Prick." Robyn responded, "to what do I owe the pleasure of your appearance to?"

 

"Nothing all that major. Just your downfall." He responded

 

"Ametuer." Robyn muttered, "You do know that you're not supposed to spill your plans so early, if at all?"

 

"What plans?" Alexander responded, if it wasn't for the fact that he was actually capable of being intimidating, Anna would've called his attempt to pretend that he didn't have plans cute.

 

"Exactly." Robyn responded, "It is wonderful to see that you're learning, maybe you and your 'Lord Stone' would be able to outsmart me." She gave the knight a rather dismissive wave "Alex, I think you might need to go back to your room and do some more plotting."

 

"And I think you might want to stop sleeping with her Highness," Alexander responded, his voice somewhat loud enough so that some passing nobles can hear, there were some whispers

"What was that?"

"Is her Highness, you know?"

"What in the Thousand Hells?"

"They could just be friends."

"I, on the other hand, think that you might've pulled that card a bit too quickly," Robyn responded, her face splitting into a grin "my relationship with Her Highness is very much platonic." She looked him straight in the eye "I believe you have some training to do, or some explanation for why you've been gone for more than a week."

 

"How dare you demand an explanation from me, you witch."

 

"Quiet down Alex, you're drawing attention, a knight, talking to a suspected witch? People will talk." Robyn said, her tone was faux-scandalous, but her eyes had an almost mocking gleam to it.

 

"I'm not sure which Hell you are supposed to go to but I'll be sure to tell you when I find out," Alexander responded

 

"I'll be sure to say hi to you when I get down there." She leaned into Alexander and whispered something into his ear that was probably a death threat.

 

**21st Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Noon – Banquet Hall – Anna Winter**

 

There were piles of fresh premium venison stacked atop her plate, the succulent scents emanating off the meat was enough to make Anna's mouth water. Combine that with the scent of freshly baked bread and it was almost enough to make Anna stuff her face with the food in front of her.

 

She had a massive appetite after dealing with the matters of Court, being looked at like a succulent piece of meat by nobles and having to suppress her urge to give more than a few of them a well-earned reward had a habit of doing that.

 

Though despite her appetite, she did manage to refrain from tearing into the venison like a wild beast, though that was a matter of Court Etiquette, she made sure to politely sip her wine, which tasted really good and not to worry over what Robyn whispered into Alexander's ear.

 

There were all sorts of questions that Anna had about the outlander, like where she was from, she never gave an honest answer or any answer for that matter. What exactly did she mean by not 'wanting to sleep with men' did she mean that she took an oath of chastity or something else entirely?

 

The woman always seemed to inspire more questions then answers and Anna wasn't exactly comfortable with that. Every night, after she thought Anna had gone asleep, Robyn would exit the room and come back at midnight, clearly relying on fatigue to fall asleep, though that bared some questions over why she did so.

 

The outlander in question was sitting next to the princess, as had become usual, Anna made sure that she was treated like an appreciated guest in the Court.

 

She was eating the venison with some barely contained gusto, though she was at least trying to make sure that she didn't get any of the grease onto her dress. She seemed to be enjoying this time at the King's Table at least, though that was mainly because of the fact that they got the finest meats and top priority.

 

Anna was never sure why her heart beat more when she looked at Robyn, though it seemed to do that with most girls that she looked at, which might explain why she was adamant about not getting handmaidens with her, such situations caused her heart to beat far too quickly for her. She always wondered why that was, when she heard the ladies of the Court talk, it was always about the cute boys and powerful lords which was an appeal that she didn't understand.

 

"You alright, Princess?" Robyn said, knocking Anna out of her slight trance and causing a small blush to appear on her face, Robyn looked very pleased with seeing the small amount of red on Anna's cheeks

 

"Yeah, I'm fine, I was just lost in thought," Anna responded, "some complicated things on my mind." To get her mind off the problem, she decided to ask the outlander something "Hey, what did you say to Alexander?"

 

"I told him that I know how to dispose of a body so thoroughly it will be like he disappeared." She said like it was nothing all that major "I never thought I'd hear him whimper."

 

"Wait do you actually know how to do that?" Anna asked the outlander then made solid eye contact with the princess.

 

"Why would I tell someone that..." Robyn said, picking up her goblet and taking a single sip of the wine, all while not breaking eye contact. After a single moment "I actually do know, but I've never actually done it and I don't like the idea of doing that as well." She took another sip of her wine. "So what exactly where you thinking about?"

 

"Nothing really, nothing all that major," Anna responded, talking a bit too fast for her liking. "It's just about the Court." She finished, hoping that it would dissuade Robyn from investigating further.

 

"So private and I shouldn't be trying to dig into it? Understood." Robyn said, taking a bite into the bread.

 

**21st Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Afternoon – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

 

"So why exactly am I in your room at this time of day?" Robyn asked, looking slightly nervous "I don't think it’s time for you to fall asleep by now."

 

"No, though Court at this time of year is that exhausting." Anna laughed, looking off to the side "No, I need to ask you a question."

 

"Okay, I'll try to answer your questions."

 

"Why do you always leave the bed and the room after you think I've fallen asleep," Anna asked, knowing full well that Robyn often tried to weasel her way out of things where the wording was explicit.

 

"I - I have trouble falling asleep and it takes me the better part of an hour and maybe two to fall asleep on a good day. I tend to read to pass the time and I didn't want to wake you up with my reading." Robyn looked off to the side "I also sometimes read out loud."

 

"Okay, I can see that. So how about this, you stay in this room and we read together." Anna offered, she did want to find out exactly why she liked being around girls so much.

 

"Of course, your Highness," Robyn said, she tilted her head "you're blushing, your Highness."

 

"Oh, so I am," Anna said, trying to maintain some amount of composure, "I also thought I told you to call me Anna when we are in private."

 

"I guess I can agree to that." Robyn said, looking off to the side "Yeah, I can do that, Anna."

**21st Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Evening – The Manse – Ser Alexander**

 

The city of Serenity's Grace was divided up into several sections, there was the Lowtown, which contained the slums and some of the lower end housing, there was the Market District, which contained the Guild Halls, stores and other establishments relating to the commerce of the city, even if it some of the commerce was not exactly legal. There was the Hightown, which was where the Grand Keep was situated as well as the housing for most of the nobility of the city.

 

In the shadow of the Grand Keep, out of sight and out of mind, there was a small manse, though it was almost never touched, due to it being the residence of Lord Edward the Treacherous for when he was in the city.

 

Alexander walked into the Manse, where he saw that in the main living room, there was a massive map of the city laid out over a large dining table as well as a massive board placed above the mantle of the fireplace, containing several details about the princess and the Royal Family. The room was illuminated by a small number of candles, placed evenly along the room to guarantee efficiency with the candlestick's light.

 

Standing in the middle of this chaotic mess of a room, looking right at home was Lord Stone

 

"I'm impressed by how much information the Thieves' Guild was able to dig up on Robyn Lancaster." He said, his voice laced with sarcasm "It turned up fuck all, her sudden appearance is unexplained, her relationship with the Princess is unexplained, it is not even confirmed if she has magical talents or not." He rubbed his temples with his right hand, seemly to try to stop an incoming headache "It's like she appeared out of thin fucking air." He said. "Oh good, Alexander, has your conversation revealed anything other than what sound you make when you whimper and how you are not subtle in the least?"

 

"Apparently she knows how to dispose of a body so thoroughly it'll be like I was never there," Alexander said he was more than a little offended at how Lord Stone was treating him. "Also, Lord Bellerose has the report you requested," Alex said, handing the aforementioned report to Lord Stone.

 

"Ah good old Lord Bellerose, my pet spy in Court." Lord Stone said fondly. Reading through the report, his face turning sourer and sourer with every page "That is all there is, apparent sapphic desires on the Princess, I could've guessed that much myself, seems to use Her Highness as a shield. I never would've guessed." He sighed to himself "Alex, go back to the keep and make sure that you keep a close eye on this Robyn Lancaster, and make sure that you keep me informed."

 

"Of course, my lord." Alexander said as he left the room, bowing slightly. Lord Stone turned away from the door and to a small chess table he had off to the side

 

"Maybe a game will clear my head," Stone muttered to himself.

 

**21st Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Evening – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

 

Anna was making sure that she did not break her agreement with Robyn on the first night of it. The outlander was skimming the titles of the books on Anna's bookshelf.

 

"Everything from treatises on Continental Politics to..." Robyn squinted at one title "a story about a maiden and a witch?" She grabbed at that book. Holding it in her right hand, she grinned slightly, "So ... any reason why you have such a book here?"

 

"I've found that it resonated with me, I like the friendship between women that it depicts," Anna answered, sounding far too defensive about it for her own liking and then noticing that she was blushing slightly

 

"Uh-huh," Robyn responded slowly, clearly not convinced and with a mischievous look on her face "How about we read this one together? I want to see this 'friendship' myself." Robyn moved to the side of the chair. patting the other side. "Come on, sit next to me."

 

"The bed is a bad place to sit on because?" Anna drawled out.

 

"Just sit next to me, I don't want to bring an open flame any closer to your bed then I have to." Robyn responded, looking at the bed in question "Especially considering how much fun this evening is going to be."

 

"Why exactly would you say that?"

 

"You'll see soon enough," Robyn said vaguely. "Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the-. Sorry, wrong story, let's begin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, this was originally going to be Chapter Four, but then there were some complications involving realising that I was missing out large sections of the plot and as such, this is now Chapter Five and also it is time for things to be heating up between Robyn and Anna.
> 
> Anyway, This author humbly requests that you leave some feedback or a kudos, trust me, it makes my goddamn day.
> 
> I'll see y'all next time.


	6. The Plot Happens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Robyn and Anna become good friends and enjoy the passions of reading, something darker stirs underneath the city.

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Morning – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

 

When Anna woke up, she was surprised that she was laying in bed, she had fallen asleep at the desk with Robyn, Anna also heard a somewhat loud thumping sound in her left ear and her pillow was rather soft and warm. Curious, Anna opened her eyes and realised that she had fallen asleep next to Robyn and that 'pillow' was Robyn's breasts. Trying to ignore the fact that her face was redder than a tomato, she began to ease herself up while not waking the woman who had apparently cuddled with her while sleeping was a challenge, largely due to the fact that the outlander had to be just about to wake up as well.

 

Though Robyn seemed to be quite content to mumble in her sleep about some things, though half the words that she used were quite unfamiliar to Anna.

 

The Princess smiled at the sight of the normally snarky and defensive outlander laying there, with a peaceful expression on her face, she would be quite content to spend quite a lot of time with a more peaceful Robyn. _"Okay, what in the Thousand Hells is up with these thoughts?"_ Anna thought to herself, " _Did a tiefling put these thoughts into my head while I was sleeping? I mean, it's not like I don't mind these-stop it, stop it!"_ She mentally continued, her thoughts spiralling slightly out of control.

 

There was a slight yawning sound from next to Anna and she saw the outlander waking up, moaning slightly in her sleep, thankfully, at this stage, Anna had mostly pried herself out of the grip of the black-haired girl. A minute later, after rubbing her eyes, Robyn comprehended the position that she was in with the princess and her face went from pale to blushing tomato in the space of two seconds.

 

"Ah..." Anna began, not entirely sure how to begin the conversation.

 

"Iapologiseforhowyouwokeupitwasnotmyintentionpleaseforgiveme!" Robyn shouted, her words running together as she spoke very quickly and she basically jumped away from the princess and was on both of her knees with her head bowed. "I accept any and all punishment that you wish to bestow upon me."

 

"Wait..." Anna began, not entirely sure about most of the situation, "what exactly happened after I fell asleep?"

 

"Oh, that." Robyn composed herself, coughing into her fist and generally smoothing out her appearance and almost like an actor slipping on a mask, her normally composed, enigma-like personality came back up again, "After you passed out when we were reading the book together," Anna blushed at the mention of the book, she wasn't aware that women could feel that way for each other, she had only picked it up because of the fact that she needed something to fill her bookshelf "I placed a ribbon on the page that we reached together and picked you up, carried you to your bed." Anna felt her blush increase even more "I put the book back, tucked you into bed, blew out the candle and got into bed."

 

"And you cuddling with me?" Anna asked, taking a slight amount of amusement when she saw Robyn's blush increase by at least two more shades.

 

"I guess it happened while we were asleep." She responded, "I apologise again for that happening." Robyn maintained eye contact for a few seconds, before getting off of the bed.

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Morning – Training Yard – Ser Alexander**

 

Alexander was training with his longsword and shield, practising slashes, stabs and bashes with his preferred weapons.

 

He wasn't using a training dummy and was instead fighting against his own shadow. he knew for a fact that he was one of the few people in Grand Keep who was awake and out of bed at this time of day.

 

Performing a diagonal slash and then following it up with a shield bash and upwards slash that would've at least knocked an opponent off balance, he finished the imagined fight with a forwards stab that would've hit the face area. Breathing heavily, he knew that he was out of shape, travelling to Sparrow's Reach meant that he wasn't able to keep up his training, which meant that fighting in his armour was more of an exhausting endeavour that it would've normally been.

 

He heard the sound of clapping, looking towards the source of it, he spotted Lord Stone. "Well done Alexander," Began sarcastically, "I'm sure that you are the bane of shadows everywhere." Walking into the training yard, the young lord surveyed everything with a rather practised expression of arrogance and smugness. Over the noble’s usual costume, he was wearing a rather heavy looking red cloak.

 

"Thank you, my lord," Alexander said, pretending not to notice the sarcasm, "would you perhaps be interested in some sparring?"

 

 "I would love sparring, but unfortunately I never paid much attention when my swordmaster was teaching me. I'm much more a lover than a fighter," Lord Stone said, as if to show that he wasn't a fighting man, he showed off his uncalloused hands. "I'm merely here early because I wanted to walk around the Grand Keep, to see what has changed since I was last here." He said, dropping the act for a second.

 

"But you've never been here, my lord." Alexander responded, "Besides, His Majesty hasn't changed anything in the Grand Keep since the days your benefactor was here." He added.

 

"Good to know, and thank you for reminding me." Lord Stone said, getting back into his role as an impoverished and young noble. "When does Court start?"

 

"After breakfast, His Majesty tends to like to hold a big breakfast. Speaking of which, did you get your breakfast, my lord?" Alexander said he wasn't really used to addressing young people with this much respect.

 

"Yes, I have because I'm not an idiot and I can afford food." Lord Stone said haughtily, "though it was at Spirit's End." He added quickly and almost shamefully.

 

"Yes, to think you would miss Sparrow's Reach," Alexander responded sardonically, "Where you had the company of my uncle and all of his legendary courtesy."

 

"He had a man locked up in his basement," Stone responded, whispering conspiratorially "apparently it was what happened when you missed one too many payments." Lord Stone raised his eyebrows. "So, should I treat you to breakfast Alexander?"

 

"Of course, my lord."

 

"Well then, follow me, I know a few places." Lord Stone said, holding out a hand from under the cloak.

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Training Yard – Anna Winter**

 

Tradition dictated that Anna was to be in Court in order to oversee the proceedings of Court so that she would be able to find a husband or just be somewhat informed about the affairs of state, though tradition normally required a princess to be accompanied by Handmaidens.

 

Tradition also normally didn't involve a princess learning how to wield a sword. She practised with her longsword, practising quite finely with backhanded swings and methods to conserve stamina and momentum.

 

Her armour wasn't heavy full plate, instead, it was what is considered 'half-plate' which is armour that is consisting largely of plates that protected her chest and her arms, though it had simple greaves for her legs. Under this, she wore a simple white tunic, a pair of breeches and a pair of boots that went under the greaves. That gave her a rather refined martial image that she enjoyed giving off, sure she had to lie to her father to get the gold that was needed for the masterwork armour pieces but she was fine with that.

 

She wielded a masterwork steel longsword in her right hand, the crossguard was rather simple and didn't give off that much of a regal appearance, though she supposed the fact that Heartsbane had a jewelled and golden crossguard and pommel might have something to do with the fact that King Ywain died in battle. The pommel of her sword was almost as simple looking as her crossguard, though it had the crest of House Winter engraved upon it. In her left, she held a kite shield, it was a rather simple wooden shield, made out of Highwood and rimmed with steel. Painted upon the shield was the black and white of House Winter, alongside an image of a blazing lance which was the symbol of her mother's family, House Firelance.

 

Sitting off to the side, watching Anna work with her sword was Robyn, who had herself at home on a small barrel which probably contained water, or knowing the knights, wine. Besides the barrel, there was a rack of blunted training weapons.

 

Anna swung her sword in an upwards arc and then brought it very naturally to a sideways swing and then adding a backhanded swing in there as well in what would be a devastating attack on a human target. In the corner of Anna's vision, she saw Robyn moving but couldn't really find herself paying attention, instead, she was focusing on her sword, a quick thrust with the sword followed by a rather skilled shield bash that would've been enough to knock a real opponent off balance.

 

She breathed in again and began swinging her sword in an upwards arch and then moved it in a downwards diagonal arch, then there was a loud clang of steel meeting steel. Anna looked and saw that Robyn was standing in front of her and had blocked Anna's sword with a blade of her own.

 

Robyn was standing a rather good distance away, holding a rather thin looking blade in her left hand. She was turned side face to Anna, wearing her simple tunic and breeches, her face was quite smug.

 

Anna spun her blade back into a guard, putting her shield slightly in front of her and readying her sword atop the shield. Crouched down a little, she was ready for what the outlander might throw at her.

 

Robyn on the other hand simply went into a rather calm and relaxed position, her right hand was behind her back and seemed to have nothing in it, while she held the thin blade in her left hand sideways, her knees were bent slightly, as if to show that she is ready to lunge forward suddenly. Her guard was actually quite good, for someone who had probably never fought with a sword before in her life.

 

Anna took the initiative, performing a few feints with her sword in order to test Robyn's guard, Robyn didn't seem to fall for any of them, her face was like stone and it was almost like she was entirely a different person from what she was earlier. Robyn tested Anna's guard by performing two thrusts, the first was a right thrust that Anna blocked with her shield, though by blocking her view, she nearly didn't see the second thrust before it came to her face.

 

Anna moved a few steps backwards, holding her shield at the ready, Robyn moved closer, keeping her distance. Anna moved aggressively against the outlander, taking the initiative against her, the princess swung her sword downwards, almost forgetting that her sword was sharpened, surprisingly, Robyn saw this move coming and moved backwards quickly, still maintaining her guard. Her sword still gleaming in the light, her face was like a mask of stone. Anna thrust her sword at Robyn, who dodged off to the side and used her right hand to grab Anna's right wrist. While her sword came up to Anna's face.

 

"Your Highness," Robyn said like it was a sarcastic remark.

 

"So... care to explain how you were able to do that?" Anna asked, a bit unsure about the sword at her face. "Also, could we please get out of this position?"

 

"Of course." Robyn returned to a neutral position, letting go of Anna's wrist and stepping back to a respectable distance "As to how I was able to do that... I watched people practice with swords, I also received some basic training when I was a kid." Robyn said, sounding somewhat uninterested.

 

"You received combat training as a child?"

 

"Training, yes. It was more for sport then for combat purposes." Robyn said, "That and I enjoyed watching swordmasters duel each other, I had enough free time on my hands when I was nineteen to take up an alright interest in swordsmanship." She looked at the thin blade in her hand "though I am by no means an expert."

 

"But it was enough to best me, someone who is professionally trained in swordcraft?" Anna asked, feeling her temper rise slightly

 

"Call it Beginner's Luck or call it unpredictability, either way, it was a fluke," Robyn responded "Also next time, could you not swing at me with a sharpened sword like that? I get how much it makes me want to get good at dodging but I'd rather not have some scars," Robyn made some vague hand gestures over her face ", it doesn't really fit with my aesthetic."

 

"Is your look the only thing you're concerned about?"

 

"I also enjoy keeping blood inside my body as much as possible," Robyn said blithely.

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Noon – Silk and Steel Tailors – Apprentice Natalie**

 

Natalie had to admit, while it was quite lonely without Master Atlas around, she was quite frankly enjoying her work, possibly because he wasn't shouting at her for some imagined fault or the fact that the Gathering of Nobles basically was the most profitable period of time for her.

 

The door to her shop swung open and in stepped a noble of some kind. He walked in with a regal bearing, wearing red trousers and a red jacket with a golden trim, a white shirt with a cravat finished off the clothes that hung from his lithe frame. His skin was lightly tanned and his long, dark brown hair was styled into a low ponytail that was tossed over one shoulder.

 

In short, he was the perfect example of a rather arrogant noble.

 

Natalie put on her best business smile and began "Good Afternoon, milord-" she did a small curtsey "- welcome to the Silk and Steel Tailor shop. How can I help you?"

 

"Of course, the apprentice is running the shop..." He mumbled to himself and then reached inside his jacket and pulled out a letter of some kind. "Girl, tell me. How far in debt is the business?" He asked nonchalantly

 

Natalie felt her smile falter for a second "We are-"

 

"Don't lie, be honest with me." He interrupted her. Still looking at the letter.

 

"Ten gold coins and about three hundred silver," Natalie said, looking down. She didn't like acknowledging her business' debt.

 

"How would you like for that debt to be paid off and for you to have your Master Atlas back as well?" He said, looking at the letter

 

"Can we keep Master Atlas away?" Natalie responded. "But more importantly: What kind of pull do you have to pay off the debt, the business owes money to Edward the Greedy." her question was answered when the noble threw a small purse of gold coins at her, something she reflexively caught.

 

"There are eleven gold coins in there." The Lord said, "And I just need a few things from you..."

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Afternoon – Chastity's Nook – Anna Winter**

 

"So care to explain to me why exactly we are here?" Anna asked, tugging at the edge of her disguise as she refused to be seen dead in a shop like this. "Because I highly doubt that this is your speed."

 

"You'll be surprised, these can be quite amusing with their metaphors," Robyn responded, her eyes skimming across one of the bookshelves "I remember encountering one of those books when I was about thirteen,"

 

"Why were you looking through your mother's books?" Anna asked

 

"It was my dad's and it was about two men," Robyn responded like it wasn't anything important, "that was one of the bi-est men I have ever met."

 

"Bi-est? you know what, never mind." Anna muttered to herself, the terms that the outlander uses often confused her, but usually, she was able to figure out what exactly the outlander meant. "So what exactly are you looking for?"

 

"A few things," Robyn responded, her hand reaching for one of the thin books on the shelf "'Tusk Love'-" Robyn sniffed the book "Ah... smells just like dad's stash. Let's see what this is about, 'romance between a human woman and an orc ma- oookayyy, I think that's going back on the shelf." it was surprisingly fast how quickly a single woman could move a book back onto a shelf perfectly. "Let's go down a bit further, there's bound to be some less weird smut somewhere." Robyn moved further down and Anna noticed that Robyn was looking rather amused at all this. She picked another off the shelf. Her eyes glancing over the book for a few seconds "Ann, come over here," She said, gesturing her over.

 

"What exactly is this one?" Anna asked, a hint of regret in her voice.

 

"Only a copy of 'Love me, That's All I ask of You', doesn't that title just make you think it's going to be clunkily written?" Robyn was grinning like an idiot, she flipped the book over "it's a 'story of a steamy affair between two actresse- hello." Robyn started looking more at the book, "Three Silver coins for it though, and you don't pay me." there was a slight look of disappointment in her eyes.

 

"I'm not supposed to pay you, you're supposed to be a guest," Anna responded, "it's rude for a guest to ask for payment."

 

"I thought I was supposed to be a prisoner, however, I did hear you mumbling some things about making me your handmaiden." Robyn said, "Wouldn't this be good practice?"

 

"Fine, three silvers, but that is it,"  Anna said. She reluctantly reached into her coin pouch and pulled out three silver coins.

 

"This will be the finest thing you ever spent your money on," Robyn assured.

 

"Yes, the 'finest' purchase I will make will be at the Chastity's Nook," Anna responded, a little bit of anger slipping into her voice.

 

"Wait.. hold on," Robyn stopped, skimming through the first few pages, "Yeah, never mind, it's shit. I could make a drinking game out of the number of times the word 'breasts' is mentioned in the first few pages alone." She put the book back on the shelf and handed Anna her money back "and to think, I was so excited as well."

 

Anna decided not to question it, the outlander could be so confusing at times.

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Afternoon – Catacombs – Ser Darian**

The Catacombs was one of the oldest and seldom remembered, parts of Serenity's Grace, largely due to the fact that most buried their dead in the Graveyards above ground. As such, the place was cold, dark and rather wet as well, with a level of cold and, most likely, diseased water that came up his ankles.

 

"My lord, what exactly are we doing down here?" Darian asked, holding up a torch in one hand and keeping the other close to a rather long dagger that bordered on being a short sword.

 

"We are going to talk to the Court of Thieves." Lord Stone said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Now move the torch closer."

 

"What? To the wall?" Darian asked, this place really creeped him out, he got bad vibes from everywhere here, though that might be because of the dead bodies everywhere.

 

"Yes to the bloody wall, not to close though." Lord Stone said, kneeling in front of the wall in question "I need some light to see this." There was a slight jingling of metal and the Lord produced from out of his rather voluminous cloak a set of thief’s tools.

 

"This enough my lord?"

 

"Yes, perfect." Lord Stone replied. He swept away a layer of dust from one of the walls with a gloved hand. Revealing a small, almost unnoticeable lock. "Now comes the easy part..." He mumbled as he got to work with his tools.

 

"When did you learn to lockpick?" Darian asked, sounding a bit concerned

 

"Take a guess." Lord Stone responded, his voice dropping from tenor to his more natural baritone. There were a few seconds of silence between the two as Stone worked on the lock, then there was a small click sound, almost hard to hear over the sound of the burning torch. "We're in. I would recommend that you follow my lead here."

 

"Of course, I'm guessing that this is the Thieves' Guild?" Darian said, taking his hand away from his dagger

 

"Don't call them that, they prefer the 'Court of Thieves', they're arrogant like that." Lord Stone muttered as he stood up and opened the hidden door.

 

"Whose arrogant again?" A tiefling with light red, almost bordering on pink skin remarked, he was standing right behind the door with a rather smug expression on his face and his hands sitting on his belt. "I remember that one of us got thrown out of Court despite the fact that they were sleeping with the King, and it certainly wasn't me."

 

Darian felt one of his hands instinctually reaching for the bastard sword that he kept over his shoulder.

 

"I think you'd best keep that sword in its sheath, boy." The tiefling said, "We're civilised people here and I believed that introductions are in order." He extended a hand "I am Valmenos, though some call me Valmenos the Devil." Valmenos said, introducing himself. Darian was sure that he saw a flash of light in those yellow eyes.

 

"I'm Ser Darian Bronzewing," Darian said, bowing his head "Some call me 'The Laughing Knight'."

 

"Look at that! Old Lord Bronzewing brought his family with him, adorable." Valmenos said, his tone was slightly mocking "Come with us, kid. We'll make a dashing rouge out of you, I guarantee that it'd fit you a Hell of a lot more than being a Royal Knight."

 

"Valmenos, you know exactly why I'm here." Lord Stone said, not bothering to increase the pitch of his voice.

 

"You couldn't help but meet with your old friend?" Valmenos said, his face twisting into a small grin, "That was a joke, I know you're here to see the Queen of Thieves. But I take it that you have another concern."

 

"Oh I do, the information you gave me on Robyn was ... lacking." Lord Stone said, "I was able to pick up more information over a single morning in Court."

 

"Well, aren't you special?" Valmenos responded, hitting Stone with a rather stern glare that seemed to be literally freezing, "I had heard rumours, however, rumours and idle gossip are the domain of beggars, servants and scheming petty lords, no offence."

 

"Some taken."

 

"I, prefer to only deal in facts, which I'm sure you can tell is a facet that I lack heavily due to the fact that we don't have someone in Court," Valmenos said, twisting the blame onto someone else.

 

"I'll talk to you later about that, but first, I would like to see the Queen." Lord Stone said, a small grin appearing on his face.

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Mid-Afternoon – Royal Library – Anna Winter**

 

"So are you going to try to look for smut in the library or are you here for actual academic reasons?" Anna asked, looking at the outlander who had dragged her here.

 

"I feeling academic reasons..." Robyn said, her voice thick with amusement, "and I don't think your father would be happy if I was out of your sight." She walked down to one specific corner of the library, it was a rather dusty corner with books that were rarely if ever, touched by the average noble in the castle.

 

"Let's see here..." Robyn muttered to herself as she scanned through the thick and dusty leatherbound tomes "ah, here's what I was looking for 'Beginner's Magic Theory'." Anna looked at the tome in the outlander's hand, it was, in comparison to other magic theory books, a rather thin leatherbound tome which seemed to be covered in a fine layer of dust with pages that were yellowing slightly in their old age.

 

"Question, what exactly do you need one of the most basic tomes on magic theory for?"

 

"Alexander says that I'm the Witch Queen resurrected, what I'm trying to see is if it is possible to resurrect her."

 

"For what purpose?"

 

"To prevent such an event happening, I think the Kingdom doesn't need more of its monarchs dying," Robyn explained, "the way I see it, _if_ resurrection is possible, then someone is bound to have tried, either to bring her back in spirit or to bring her body back."

 

"That is surprisingly smart." Anna responded, not entirely sure if she was actually talking to Robyn.

 

"I do try, occasionally." Robyn said, blushing from the compliment "Just be sure to not expect that from me too often," She went down to a desk that was in the room and opened up the dusty tome. "care to sit next to me?"

 

"Of course," Anna grabbed another chair and sat next to Robyn, watching as the outlander's emerald green eyes quickly scanned through the old and dusty pages of the tome. A few seconds later, Anna decided that she had spent too much time staring into those wonderful, shining emeralds and decided to get a book for herself, she got a rather thin book from one of the more frequented sections of the library.

 

Sitting down next to Robyn who was resting a hand on her head as she was quickly reading through the words of the book.

 

"Are you even reading the words?" Anna asked.

 

"Yes," Robyn responded, not even looking up and clearly still focused on the book in front of her, she was mumbling some of the words that she read to herself.

 

Anna sighed and then turned to focus on her book, it was a fiction piece, something about a knight and a princess, those stories never really interested her as a child, they seemed so ... dull and it was odd that the princess who was saved from the threat suddenly fell in love with literally the first man who came through the door. The words seemed to melt together as she read. Looking over at the outlander, the woman seemed to be cruising through the book, mumbling to herself as she went along. Anna went back to her book and tried to be interested in the thing, even though she was sure that the writer didn't have anything even relating to an idea of how people functioned.

**22nd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Afternoon – Royal Court – Helias Winter**

 

There was something that had to be said for being a King, it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. He often had to spend hours listening to peasants talking about minor grievances which was bad enough, but what was worse was the bloody minor nobility.

 

Those people for some reason that was beyond him, loved to take things out of context and overreact to everything. Which lead to the situation that he was current in, maintain his perfect posture as he listened to two minor nobles argue over what was a minor slight at best, it was something about one of the sons of one of the nobles saying something about the daughter of the other noble and apparently that was enough to justify a grievance that was worth putting before the King.

 

Helias held up his hand to signify that the two nobles were to stop talking and listen to him, it was a trick of presence that he had learned when his nephew was born and he had to continue refining it when his nephew died as well.

 

"Lord Bellerose, Lord Brightshadow. I have come to a decision on this matter." Helias said, making sure that were slow so that the rather simple Lord Bellerose could understand exactly what was being said "Lord Brightshadow, I suggest that you take less offence to people talking about your daughter and to Lord Bellerose, I would recommend that you issue an official apology to Lord Brightshadow for the actions of your son."

 

"But, your maj-" Lord Bellerose began

 

"I believe I have made myself clear, I am honestly ashamed of both of you that you couldn't resolve this matter between each other and had to waste the time of the Court and myself for this matter," Helias said, irritation creeping into his voice

 

"Your Majesty, he insulted the honour of my daughter, are you really going to let him get away with just an apology?" Lord Brightshadow asked, "what if he insulted Her Highness, would you take it like that?"

 

"I don't believe that I have to answer this question, your audience with me is over, both of you, go back to the gallery," Helias said, fixing both of them with an intense glare. He let out a sigh to himself, _"bloody nobles..."_ he thought to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was fun to write, especially the interactions between Anna and Robyn, as well as Valmenos, who is a hella fun character to write.
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, This author humbly requests that you leave some feedback or a kudos, trust me, it makes my goddamn day and it helps me improve my writing. That or it just lets me know that someone is reading my work and thinks enough about it to write a single sentence.
> 
> I'll see y'all next time.


	7. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna and Robyn try to figure out their feelings as the plotters of Court begin to flock

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Morning – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

 

Anna had to admit, she could get used to waking up in the arms of Robyn, though that might have something to do with her crush on the outlander more than anything else. She was still trying to put a label on her relationship with the outlander, she was sure that she could call it a friendship, but Anna was sure for a fact that friends didn't end up sleeping in the same bed or cuddling in their sleep, though it was hardly like it was love and something told Anna that the outlander would hardly become one of her suitors.

 

That thought certainly shot down her normal positive mood, she really disliked the thought of her suitors, the nobles who looked at her like a piece of prize meat were bad enough, but her suitors were worse, these were people who knew that they were closer to getting said prize meat and tended to view her as less of a person. Thankfully, after a couple of years of unsuccessful marriage attempts, her father had got the message that Anna wasn't intending to be married off anytime soon.

 

The princess shifted around on the bed and began to think about things, she seemed to be, for lack of a better word, attracted to Robyn Lancaster, especially the Robyn who only Anna got to see, not the sarcastic and defensive enigma of a girl who she was in public, but instead the gentle and fun-loving girl who only Anna seemed to see. The princess wondered exactly what meant for her, the holy texts said nothing against it, but she wasn't supposed to feel these things for a girl, she was pretty sure that these were what she was supposed to feel for guys.

 

Robyn started to wake up, moaning slightly as she rose from her slumber, Anna pretended to be asleep in order to hear what Robyn might say. "I really need to stop waking up like this." She muttered, probably looking at Anna, "I'm pretty sure that it is unbecoming of a Princess to pretend to be asleep." She added

 

Anna pretended to be asleep until Robyn started nudging her slightly, then heavily and then Robyn found it hard to pretend that she wasn't asleep "Do I have to get up, I just want to read all day."

 

"Unfortunately, you have a job to do and I have to attend a small trail," Robyn said nonchalantly.

 

"Wait, what?"

 

"Your father arranged for a trail to be conducted by the Council today just after lunch, he wanted to put an end to whatever this prisoner/guest arrangement," Robyn said, explaining it fluently, "I get where he's coming from and cheer up, I'm pretty sure that I can stay over as your handmaiden." Robyn gave a toothy half grin.

 

"That's a lot of confidence in your verdict for being proved innocent," Anna responded

 

"Well, I haven't exactly acted like a 'Witch Queen', my behaviour is more in line with 'Snarky Foreigner' though hopefully, someone won't be able to level new charges against me based on that fact." Robyn gave a full grin "So get up, I'm pretty sure you'll want to put on your best dress for the occasion."

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Noon – Council Chambers – Helias Winter**

 

The Council Chambers was a small room inside the Grand Keep, it was designed largely for utility than for beauty, though the term 'small' is relative in this case, the room was still larger than it really should be for such a small group of people. The room itself was rather secure, built into the heart of the Grand Keep, this was where most of the affairs of state would truly be decided, away from the prying ears of the scheming minor nobility.

 

In the centre of the room was a brown mahogany table, it was decorated with imagery depicting lions, mountains, birds and roses, showing the imagery of all five of the Houses that once ruled the Kingdom of Emain at one point or another. Normally, there would be maps, large amounts of paperwork and ledgers, various tools that were needed for the running of the Kingdom on a day-to-day basis, even if the Council only really meet on a weekly basis due to the fact that most of the members had lands of their own to run. Though the ledgers, maps and other assorted paperwork was held off to the side on a few smaller tables that were used to hold unneeded paperwork.

 

At one end of the table, directly facing the door, there was a hand-carved oaken throne that was less ornate than the throne that was in Court but was just as important. Across the table, there were seven chairs, for each of the members of the Council.

 

And, of course, in front of the table, sat the most important matter at hand, the defendant in the Trail. Robyn Lancaster, dressed in a light grey tunic and black leather breeches, over-knee boots and vest. With her black hair styled into the usual ponytail and that odd piece of finery that was in front of her eyes.

 

All of the members of the Council were seated at their seats and Helias found himself reluctant to begin the Trail. His daughter, Anna was shifting uncomfortably in her seat, it was understandable, Helias had known that the two had grown close over the thirteen days the foreigner had been here.

 

After clearing his throat, Helias decided to begin the trail "Robyn Lancaster, you stand accused of being the Witch Queen, Oliva Winter, and with all the charges that are attached to both the name and the title. How do you plead?" Helias asked, his voice was a bit more monotone, he hated retrials, there were a formality and a bad one at that.

 

"I plead not guilty, your majesty." Robyn said with almost practised grace "The person who you have accused me of being has been dead for five years." There was a hard look on her face, unlike the one that he saw the other night

 

"Yes, but such a resurrection is theoretically possible." Countess Elizabeth said, "With enough power, it would be possible to resurrect someone who had been dead for five years, with enough power, like the amount of power that was detected when you arrived into the Capitol."

 

"I can't explain that one, but if I was the Witch Queen, wouldn't I try to finish what I've started?" Robyn responded, locking eyes with the countess "I've literally been within walking distance of both the King and the Princess for about thirteen days now."

 

"You could've been waiting for suspicion to die down." Helias' spymaster, Fredrick Proudsong said, the man's rather snide voice and slimy appearance spending a shiver down everyone's spines. "Wait for the perfect time to strike, when no one would be suspicious of you."

 

"Literally everyone is suspicious of me, every noble and their cat thinks I've put some sort of spell on the Princess." Robyn responded, "Which, I haven't I don't know any magic." She sighed "I don't think people will be less suspicious of me."

 

"You don't act like the Witch Queen..." The Chancellor Duke Stonebreaker mumbled, "The Witch Queen is a lot more prideful."

 

"Well, it's wonderful that someone noticed." Robyn said, "I will be the first to admit, I'm probably a charlatan, but I am not the sort of person who would try to claim a kingdom by right of conquest." She shrugged "I don't know the first thing about magic, logistics and battle strategy, I'll admit it."

"Is it possible that the Witch Queen could be brought back with amnesia?"

"Possible, but not that likely."

"Even then, why would they not bring her back in a safer place?"

"It is possible that she is lying?"

"She could have magic that she is hiding?"

"I doubt it, I'm detecting no magical potential from this one."

"Really? None?"

"I know, I'm used to seeing at least a little magic potential from everyone."

Helias won't lie, he saw the closed mouth grin that Robyn gave at the outbreak of his Council members mumbling, it was odd how she had the power to do that. She was giving a look at Him that asked for a challenge.

 

"Well, your Majesty, what exactly do you think?" Robyn asked, "Both you and Her Highness have been quiet during this."

 

"I think..." Helias began, he wasn't entirely sure what to think, she had been from most reports, quite defensive and hostile to many members of the Court when they could engage her in conversation, but she didn't have magic potential and had none of the personality of the woman who he himself killed five years ago. "I think that you are innocent of being the Witch Queen." He finished.

 

"Your majesty, you can't be serious." Desmond Kraghammer said, "We don't know what exactly he is capable of and I heard troubling rumours about her and Her Highness." He added.

 

"Tell me about these rumours," Robyn said, her voice sounding slightly annoyed, "I'm not familiar with these rumours."

 

"They say that you've been sleeping with Her Highness and you've been tempting her into an unnatural relationship." There was something in Robyn's face which almost seemed to fall for a second, just before that normal mask of controlled anger and sarcasm went back up again, "She is tempting her daughter, Your Majesty, you can't be serious?"

 

"Excuse me, priest man?" Robyn said, some barely hidden anger burning in her eyes "I believe the purpose of this trial is about me being the Witch Queen or not, nothing about this trail is on the subject of whether or not I slept with Her Highness." She paused for a beat "I know, it's confusing for a man of the cloth, but I think it bears mentioning."

 

"And besides, Count Desmond." Anna said, placing an emphasis on the title of the Priest "such relations are not illegal, as I'm sure my father will remind you."

 

"But, your Highness-"

 

"My Lord, I mean this respectfully, but shut your mouth, you've embarrassed yourself enough for one day," Robyn said, cutting off Count Desmond.

 

"If there is nothing else, then I believe the council has other matters to attend to." Helias said, "Robyn, you may leave, Count Desmond, you would do well to learn how to hold your tongue," he said to his old friend, annoyed at the man's impudence. There was work to do.

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Mid-Afternoon – Castle Gardens – Anna Winter**

 

The Grand Keep had a rather small garden by comparison to most of its other areas, the garden was an addition made by Anna's grandfather, King Elias the Clever, there were many different breeds of flowers, mainly roses, lilies and lilacs among other different breeds that Anna never really learned the names for. The flowers were almost invariably arranged into patterns that resembled, at least to her, the hearldry of various noble houses.

 

"So... how are you enjoying being a free woman?" Anna asked Robyn, who still had her mask of sarcasm on, though there was some joy that crept through her mask.

 

"It's wonderful, lovely to know that I'm not a prisoner who is on parole," Robyn responded, her tone contained some cheeriness that was being deliberately downplayed "though I now have no job, don't suppose you're looking for a servant?"

 

Anna felt a bit of blush creeping on her face as she thought about it "Well, now that you mention it, I'm supposed to have a handmaiden."

 

"And based on what I've seen, you don't have one of those," Robyn responded, looking rather pleased, "What exactly would such a job entail?"

 

"Spending large amounts of time near me, following me around, occasionally defending my honour, representing me and generally looking pretty." Anna rattled off

 

"I'm not good for the last bit," Robyn said

 

"Just the last bit?" The princess responded, "I wonder what people will say if they discover that you're my first handmaiden, nobles have been tripping over each other to make their daughters one of mine for years."

 

"Well, isn't that special?" The outlander responded, "What exactly is the pay?"

 

"Three silvers a day and I'll be providing residence and food," Anna responded, but there was a small problem

 

"But, I'm guessing that there is a small issue," Robyn said, looking into Anna's eyes.

 

"Unfortunately, you'll have to take up a different room," Anna responded. Then she remembered something "But, I'm pretty sure that there is a free room close to mine, even with all the noblemen around lately."

 

"It's wonderful Anna, now I think we might have to move," Robyn looked off to the side, "some of the nobles are looking at us."

 

"And since when have you cared about that?"

 

"I don't know since I'm in your employ, I'm going to have to start caring," Robyn responded, casting a wayward look into Anna's eyes.

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Afternoon – Robyn's Room – Anna Winter**

 

The room was your typical noble's bedroom, it had a four-poster bed, it was rather big, but not as big as Anna's bed, in the middle of the room there is a small round table with a single candle on it. There is also a small dresser which is designed for a lady at court, rather than a princess. hanging from a small post, a glass lantern was providing illumination.

 

The sheets on the bed, as well as the pillows, were a stark black, in fact, a large amount of the furniture that was dragged in appeared to be that colour.

 

There is no bookshelf and there are a few servants in the room hastily getting everything set up, in the middle of the room, Robyn is helping the servants get the bed made and ready. "Okay good, thanks for digging up those black sheets for me." She said to one of the servants, some burnet lad who rushed off the second he saw the princess.

 

"You seem to have gotten set up quickly," Anna said, looking at Robyn and barely noticing as the rest of the servants left the room. "You only got the room this afternoon."

 

"Yeah, well, when you say that this has been granted by the princess, it tends to get things done faster. Just haven't got the clothes down into the dresser yet, though the fact that I have a room right next to yours might make that less of a hassle." Robyn said, looking into Anna's eyes "There's nothing to say about how well you've been to me."

 

"Well, is there any way you can repay me?" Anna asked, staring the outlander dead in the eye. "I have been very generous."

 

"Well, I can think of a few ways..." Robyn said as she moved closer to Anna, putting her hands behind the princess' head and smiling, Anna felt a blush creep onto her face and her heartbeat increase massively.

 

"What exactly would that be?" Anna asked, her hands slipping onto Robyn's hips, coming ever so closer to the outlander, her pale skin almost glowing in the soft light of the lantern. She could see that Robyn was also blushing. Anna moved her head closer before the sounds of something dropping to the floor interrupted them.

 

Both of the women looked at the source of the noise and saw the brunet boy from before who was carrying a few books from the library. He had a look of shock on his face. "What in the Thousand Hells?"

 

"Oh, sorry Leo." Robyn said, withdrawing from the embrace with Anna "I was having a bit of a chat with my friend here, you might not have met. Leo, this is Anna, Anna, Leo." She said her sarcastic mask coming on her face again. Though Anna heard a hint of barely contained anger in her voice.

 

"Isn't she- and you are-" Leo stammered, trying to process what he saw.

 

"It's ... complicated, Your Highness, shall you leave?" Robyn said, "I think me and Leo here, have to have a conversation." Anna moved out of the room, making sure to close the door behind her and then listened in.

 

"Will it be like the 'conversation' that you were having with Her Highness, milady?" Leo asked, his muffled voice sounding a bit confused.

 

"Oh, of course, Leo, I'll be sure to treat you exactly as I treat Anna." Robyn said, her sarcasm ringing clear even though her voice was muffled "it's about the importance of making sure that you knock on doors."

 

"Ah..." Leo said

 

"When the door is closed: Always. Knock. Especially if they have company, you might be interrupting something." Robyn said, "Though I'm sorry for taking some of my anger out on you, now go and pick up the books you dropped and place them on the table, I have some reading to do."

 

"One problem, milady," Leo said, his voice picking up and wavering slightly "Lord Stone was handling most of the requested books on magic theory as well as quite a few on continental politics and several history tomes as well.

 

There was a quite audible and drawn out sigh that came from Robyn "Well then, just go and do what you normally do in your spare time then." She said, "And remember, in relation to Her Highness, you saw nothing."

 

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Evening – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

 

Anna was sitting on her bed in what she now considered to be a bit of an empty room. She had to think over some things, what exactly had come over her when she was in that room with Robyn, what made that pale face so... beautiful, her voice so welcoming, her emerald eyes so... hypnotising?

 

Was she going to kiss the outlander, wasn't she? Or was the outlander going to kiss her? it was an odd thing to think about, she hadn't really ever heard about girls loving other girls like that. Sure she might have heard rumours about men who liked men like that, but she assumed that it was just a piece of filthy gossip.

 

She thought back to what Count Desmond said earlier, what did he mean by an 'unnatural relationship', she had mentioned that such relationships were not illegal but that was just a bit of her guessing, there was apparently a decree from one old King a century or so back that allowed such relationships and she guessed that it hasn't been overturned recently.

 

Now that she thought about, she had been thinking about Robyn a lot lately, the kind of thoughts that made her uncomfortable, she was meant to have those thoughts for men, but there she was, fawning over some other woman. So... such relationships were not a thing of base rumours, she wasn't sure, but she remembered when she was little the nasty rumours that she heard about her uncle, the King and his paramours, all of them were apparently men.

 

Thoughts were spinning through her head at breakneck speed and Anna was having trouble fully addressing them. She noticed a small piece of parchment that was shoved under the crack of her door. Reaching to pick it up, it simply read, in rather messy and scrawling handwriting

 

"Dear Anna, sorry about what happened earlier, I hadn't intended for the situation to get so heated or Leo to walk in on us. I hope you can forgive me for my transgressions. Apologies, Robyn Lancaster" She read, mumbling the words on the note out loud to herself as she tried to decipher the messy handwriting of her... crush, she supposed the word was. She noticed a small bit of writing under the name "Note: You can exchange letters if you need to take a breather."

 

The princess decided that giving Robyn a letter was probably the best idea. She went to her desk, ignoring the half-read copy of 'The Witch and the Maiden' that was sitting there. She pulled out a piece of parchment and scribing tools and began writing a letter back

 

"Dear Robyn, thank you for your letter, I'm afraid that I need to think some things though as our earlier encounter has left me with plenty of questions. Don't forget, you still have your job this morning." Anna said to herself as she wrote out the note, making sure to keep her handwriting immaculate, she had appearances to keep up, after all.

 

She made a quick delivery of the letter to Robyn and went back to her room, wondering why the Outlander had felt it best to not talk to her in person.

 

She was probably struggling through some thoughts as well, Anna briefly wondered what exactly the outlander did in her homeland, a poor relationship with her mother, an odd father and apparently a thing for books and other women. She liked these thoughts, it was enough to occupy her mind and make Anna forget about her own troubling thoughts, if only for a while.

 

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Midnight – The Spymaster's Chambers – Fredrick Proudsong**

 

The Spymaster's Chambers in the Grand Keep was one of the most hidden rooms in the entirety of the ancient castle, hidden underground, several levels under the dungeons themselves, with the entrance itself being passed a hidden door that was part of the staircases. Which led to a small room that was what Fredrick considered as a small chapel dedicated to intrigue and shadow.

 

The inside of the chamber was heavily lit, with several magical, ever burning candles floating above several chests and bookcases that were stacked atop each other in the room. There was a ladder inside the room for reaching taller shelves where older records were stored, such records were kept near the top of the bookcases of the incredibly high ceiling of the room which smelt faintly of the dungeons.

 

At the centre of the room were various folders on certain people who Fredrick, or Helias, marked to be of interest. There were several maps all rolled up in a pile upon the table, showing off the Kingdom, Duchies, as well as certain towns and even buildings of special interest. Next to these maps was a stack of blank parchment and an inkwell which Fredrick would use to consolidate the information given to him by his network of agents within the Kingdom and the Continent if a major enough event merited it being transported long distances. The room was something of an organised den of secrets, if one were to somehow break into this chamber, they would have access to every sordid little secret in the entirety of the Kingdom.

 

In the middle of this room stood a man who was in his late forties to early fifties, with a tall, lanky frame. He towered over most men in the Kingdom at 6 ft 7, his eyes were sunken into his angular face. He was dressed in rather dark long robes that fit his rather lean form that seemed to be without muscle, like every second he was wasting away without moving. The only hair on his head was thick, straight hair that was as white as virgin snow and was pulled into a rather short low ponytail that went down to the base of his neck. He stood in the centre of the room, hunched over the table, his face pulled into a deep frown of concentration and contemplation. This was Fredrick Proudsong.

 

Fredrick was not often a man who reflected on the irony of his job and his commitments, his job as Spymaster was to find the truth and to protect the King, while his role as a member of House Proudsong was to protect those who stayed loyal to the House, expose or frame those who would threaten the balance of power or the House itself. Such activities would often involve him outright stretching the truth at the best of times and at the worst of times, flat out writing things that would be more at home in a fiction novel.

 

Though what his agents within the Court of Thieves and within the city were reporting was ... troubling to say the least, it implied that Edward Bronzewing was back in the city, that he was reorganising his old network of contacts and gathering information, for what Fredrick did not know, but he knew a few things, either Lord Stone was a trusted agent of Edward the Able, or was actually him.

 

Fredrick looked at the report again, Lord Stone spent the morning in a Tavern called the 'Spirit's End', only bought one drink and spent most of the morning pretending to nurse the same drink, it didn't take a genius to figure out what he was doing. Then he spent the remainder of the waking hours in the Royal Library, reading.

 

It was incredibly exhilarating and frustrating at the same time to think that Edward the Able was back in the capital, he was always a capable, if over-ambitious, plotter. It was exhilarating to think that his old rival and one of the few most skilled plotters in the Kingdom outside of members of House Proudsong was back in the game, but at the same time it was frustrating, Fredrick didn't like taking risks without stacking the deck so much that it would be nothing short of overkill when it came crashing down on someone unfortunate, but there was someone he couldn't get much evidence or information on.

 

But no matter, one of the most underappreciated skills of being Spymaster is patience and discipline, as a child of House Proudsong, such skills were instilled from a young age. He was nothing if not a good learner and as such, he was an excellent Spymaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took longer than I expected, but the trail scene required me to think harder than I normally do for this fic (It's self-indulgent, I admit) as well as the scene in Robyn's room and then interrupting them with Leo.
> 
> Be sure to give kudos and a comment, it is what makes my day.


	8. A Challenged Issued Redux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is basically inevitable, when you have so many arrogant people in the same place for so long, that a challenge will be issued by someone, the gauntlet will be thrown down, and when that happens, it can sometimes get a bit ugly.

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms  – Early Morning  – Robyn's Room  – Robyn Lancaster**

 

Robyn was not socially adept. She knew that, hell it was a large part of her identity, sarcasm for guys and awkward stumbling for pretty girls, it was what she did, though she was currently trying to figure out what to do about last afternoon. If she was lucky, the princess wouldn't remember it, but that is not likely, the blame was on Robyn, she should've been able to stop those selfish feelings of hers, after all, what right did she have to claim the Princess, the person who gave her a free job with bed and board, for herself?

 

Robyn knew that she was not supposed to emotional baggage for the Princess when the inevitable happened, not to mention that princesses were supposed to marry those charming foreign princes or a chosen hero.

 

"Ugh. this is an unproductive line of thought." Robyn muttered to herself as she got out of bed, she had a job, she noticed that the room she was in was cold, colder than her bed. She stepped her way over to the letter that Anna left under the thick hardwood door. It reminded her that she still had work to do. Robyn personally wanted nothing more than to sleep in today and to think about her place in the universe. She looked over to her various court dresses in her closet.

 

How in the blue hell was she going to phrase her apology to the princess? 'Yeah, sorry that I kinda almost snogged you yesterday and ruined your reputation because that servant no doubt has loose lips, sorry. Please don't fire me while I have your attention!'

 

"Ugh, let's just hope that the princess doesn't bring it up," Robyn muttered to herself.

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

 

Robyn was standing in front of Anna wearing a black dress with a small trimming of feathers around the somewhat conservative cut of the dress. Her dress had beautiful silvery stitching that seemed to be reminiscent of the emblem of the Kingdom.

 

Anna found her eyes trailing across the form of the dress. It was perfectly fitted; she would have to give her compliments to Natalie when she went back. Though it would not be proper of Anna not to notice that Robyn was wearing her usual sarcastic mask, though her eyes seemed to be radiating a look of being uncomfortable. Did she regret what happened yesterday? It is possible.

 

"I've never asked, but where exactly do you come from?" Anna asked the outlander, though she saw that the outlander give a half grin

 

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you and I believe that the chances of me returning there will probably involve magic." Robyn Said, "Though, since you asked, I'm from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, specifically from the city of London." She said, giving an almost mocking curtsy as if she was introducing herself for the first time. "But, as I mentioned, magic would probably be needed for me to get back home, so I am stuck here."

 

"Oh what a terrible thing, you're strand here in a wonderful country with warm weather, and you are the handmaiden to a princess, truly the Architect throws the woes of the world at your feet." Anna responded sarcastically, "Thankfully, I don't have matters of Council to attend to, and I don't fancy going to Court, so how much do you want to go to the SIlk and Steel or some other place?"

 

"I believe that is your decision to make Anna." Robyn responded, her tone was machine-like "though I think the Steel and Silk would be interesting."

 

"You are aware that despite the fact that you work for me, you are still my friend," Anna said, placing a hand on the outlander's shoulder and ignoring the slight pain that came from the word 'friend' "So none of that monotonous voice, though there is something I would like to talk about. Well not exactly 'like' but I believe the conversation is necessary." Anna would have to be an idiot to notice the small tinge of fear in Robyn's eyes.

 

"What is it you want to talk about?" Robyn asked, her voice wavering slightly.

 

"What exactly do you want to do considering the incident yesterday?" Anna asked, looking Robyn in the eyes, the small tinge of fear had grown in size.

 

"Um..."  Robyn let her composure break for a few seconds, her face had a small shade of red on it, as usual for when the two were together. "It was a stupid mistake."

 

"Is that what you thought of it?" Anna responded Robyn's answer was more hurtful than Anna thought it would be.

 

"No..." Robyn responded, seeming to think through a few words "but, in hindsight, I shouldn't have done that, and I should've ensured that there would be no way for Leo to interrupt us..." Robyn trailed off, her face was even redder she looked off to the side before then looking Anna in the eye again, "Actually, just forget about it."

 

Anna didn't want to forget about it, there was something that was so warm about Robyn's hands, especially last night. But she would need to concede, "Sure, I will." Anna said, knowing that she would have to press the issue later.

 

Robyn looked somewhat relieved as she smoothed out her dress.

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Royal Court – Fredrick Proudsong**

 

Fredrick was not the sort of man who often appeared at Court; it was understandable really, he instead loved to stick to the shadows, to listen to what people said when they thought they were alone, he loved hearing it when some nobles forgot that he even existed. Though needs must and as to get visual confirmation of something, he would need to make sure that he was in Court, which of course meant that he was going to be spotted.

 

He was dressed in the traditional blue and white garb of House Proudsong, blue boots and breeches, white tunic and cravat and blue jacket, all with a golden trim to it. He really didn't like the clothes he was wearing; they didn't fit as well as his robes and sort of felt out of place, though Court Etiquette demanded that he show off his wealth as he was representing House Proudsong after all.

 

He was standing behind the throne in the Court Room, in a small, shadowy, alcove that had a set of stairs nearby. Some nobles were murmuring amongst each other when they saw him; some spoke with fear while others talked with shock.

_"Who's that man over there?"_

_"You mean that old guy?"_

_"It's Duke Proudsong!"_

_"Who?"_

_"Oh, Architect above, I thought he was a myth!"_

_"Great, the King's Pet Spook is here."_

_"What right does he have to stand there?"_

_"At least he's not sitting on the throne like last time..."_

Pushing the murmurings of the Court aside, he cast his eyes across the nobles and spotted his target, a single man who is moving through the crowd skillfully and almost unnoticeable among the group. Almost, being the key term. He pushed his way to the front of the crowd and made direct eye contact with Fredrick.

 

The second the spymaster saw those eyes, he knew he recognised them, but he couldn't tell from where. Those eyes looked so familiar, but before he could figure it out, Lord Stone had slunk back into the crowd and started to interact with various other nobles, it seemed that he was putting on a show of being an amicable noble, whether or not that is the case is another matter altogether. It is always a possibility that he has been trained by Edward the Traitor as an agent, it would make more sense than the story about him being an amicable noble being forced into a terrible position. No matter what, both his idea and the official story seemed to be too ... on the surface, too simple, there had to be something lurking underneath.

 

He felt his carefully schooled expression of neutrally give way into a small frown as he started to start down to an unproductive train of thought. Training to distract his mind from Lord Stone, he began to think about the other nobility. There had to be other nobles at Court who had plans that would not be in the best interests of the Kingdom or the House, nobles like that idiot, Lord Bellerose, who had been very much active lately, though his ties to Edward the Traitor was more than well-known. The fact that he wasn't ousted from Court like the man he had relations with was one secret that Fredrick wasn't able to figure out.

 

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Booms – Noon – Council Chambers – Anna Winter**

 

"Is there any reason you can provide for why I'm supposed to be here?" Anna asked. She was sitting on her chair in the Council Chambers with the only other person in the room being her father and maybe one of Duke Proudsong's spies.

 

"You know that I'm always concerned about you." Helias began, looking a bit tired like he was up all night thinking about something.

 

"Of course, father." Anna said, "I'm the only member of your family who isn't a name on the old flowchart which is still alive." There was a bit of a joking tone in her voice.

 

"Yes and the fact that you are the only child of my beloved." The grin faded ever so slightly as some memories came back to him. "I care for you, and as you are my daughter and heir to the throne, I have something to tell you." He paused slightly, seemingly trying to think of the best way to begin what he was going to say. "You know that I'm getting old."

 

"You're like Forty-seven, it's not that old," Anna responded it was true, forty-seven wasn't considered to be all that old among the nobility, but some would always have questions about the rational judgement of an ageing king.

 

"I'm getting older, the head gets heavier, and I yearn to care for my old passions," Helias said, there was that too. Anna rarely saw this side of her father, at least she rarely saw it nowadays, "I make you attend these Council meetings because I intend for you to take the Throne when I am not fit for the throne." That was predictable. It was how House Winter taught the heirs to the throne.

 

"So what exactly are you saying?" Anna asked, she had a few suspicions about what her father was thinking, but at the same time, she didn't want to assume

 

"I'm thinking of abdicating the throne." Helias said, "I'll probably be doing it in a few years."

 

"Understood," Anna said, almost mechanically, she was trying t process this aspect, she thought that she would be ascending to the throne when Helias died.

 

"There is another thing I need to tell you, as this is a reform that I plan on instituting soon. I've seen what sitting on the Throne does to people." He paused "I'm proposing a change to Council Laws that would increase the power of the Council."

 

There was only one word that was running through her head, running on repeat "Why?" She knew that the Council was instituted mainly to temper a monarch's worse ideas.

 

"Because you know as well as everyone that a single person with the full executive power of state has only their good judgement as their only method of restraining themselves is a bad idea," Helias responded, "Especially if they are also expected to know everything and to be the final voice in everything."

 

"But the purpose of the Council is to be the restraint to monarch's worst impulses and to cover their weaknesses," Anna argued, she knew this much because she actually listened to her tutors.

 

"But not every single monarch has listened to their Council." Helias responded, using his 'Voice of Reason' tone.  "I'm sure that a good example would be the first King of House Bellerose."

 

"King Yuri the Lucky who won the Crown in a gambling tournament." Anna recited from memory of rather boring history classes given to her by Countess Elizabeth Bronzewing. "He didn't seem to want the Crown, he gambled away most of the Crown's wealth in tournaments and threw the most lavish of parties."

 

"And?"

 

"He was generally not good at ruling or anything other than gambling it seems. He was known to dismiss what his Council said to him openly. One historian, Azure the Odd claimed him as 'the single most incompetent King of Emain that there was or ever will be'."

 

"Yes, Azure the Odd was harsh in her criticism," Helias recalled, stroking his chin slightly "but fair, it's not that I don't believe in you, but I don't believe in the people who will succeed you, the people who are on the 'old flow chart' as you so eloquently described it." Helias explained, "Do you think that these people can be trusted with anything sharper than a piece of chalk?"

 

That was actually a point, these people were from the branches of the family that were so minor and distant that they might not even really be considered a member of House Winter. "So you're going to make me a figurehead instead?" Anna responded, sounding a bit more indignant than she wanted to sound. Just to be clear, she didn't fault her father for wanting to abdicate, everyone within the Kingdom knew that he never wanted to be King. However, it was shocking that he was going to limit the authority of the throne, it was unheard of within Pacajteroj, not even the Empire limited the power of their Imperator though the Senate was how they handled most affairs of state, their Imperator still had final say in all matters.

 

"I never said anything about making the position of a monarch into a figurehead position, all I said was that this is to lighten the load of the position, allow a Monarch to explore their own passions." Her father responded it is evident that he had put much thought into this.

 

"But what if the Council acts against the interests of the state?" Anna asked, trying to think of examples where a single person with full executive powers would be more prudent. "What if we are in a time of emergency when we need someone who can act quickly, or we need to make use of a strategy that would be unpopular?" She added, trying to add some points to her argument.

 

"Do you remember the Witch Queen's War?" He asked Anna knew that he was going to pull some long life story to show off his superior knowledge and experience, "I was, for lack of a better word, frustrated with some of the nobles, especially the ones who didn't openly side with her, but refused to give us their full support." He explained, "So I had to show them where the strategy is successful and they will follow if the policy doesn't reveal much initial success, then you need to keep hammering the point home, people believe proof when it is presented to them. For example, after the Battle of the Bloody Valley, I told them that there was proof that the Witch Queen's army was faltering and since the Empire leant a legion to us as well, it meant that we could show them that the tide of the war was changing in our favour, and it did. And to answer your initial concerns, I do not intend to give the Council full power over every affair of state, because it would be too much change too fast. I'm merely planning on increasing the power of the Council to make sure that they can inhibit a monarch's worst ideas and to make sure that they can't just execute and declare war as they please." Helias finished, Anna had to admit, it made sense, her father was good at negotiating points, it seems to be a skill that increased over time.

 

"Father, I understand what you're trying to say." Anna conceded but then thought of something, "but have you met your councillors, hell even some of your nobles, some of them won't believe a man was dead even if you presented them with the man's severed head." Anna continued "Sometimes, people don't believe the proof, or they draw incorrect conclusions from the evidence."

 

"Then find those who do," Helias responded. "I wanted to tell you this because I didn't want you to be so shocked when it eventually happens." He paused "And I know you have some of your own passions that I can't bear the thought of stopping you from indulging in."

 

Anna had to admit, he was right. She supposed that this could count as something of a bonding moment between her father and it reminded her of a time before her uncle died, before father looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Back when he still played the harp beautifully, it was something that made her long for days long gone by.

**23rd Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Noon – Training Yard – Ser Alexander**

 

There was something about most of the knights when it came to the Gathering of Nobles, it was something that he found it hard to fault them for. They looked at it like it was more of a social gathering than a political event, though, for some of the minor nobility, such as the lower knights, it was just that or them, most of them would meet their brides at such an event. It was also rare that a noble would actually bring up their grievances at such an event, even though that it is the purpose of such an event. That and most of the nobility often end up getting involved in affairs at such a time as it was when the heads of various houses would bring their children for when they would make their debut to the nobility. Besides, due to the multiple tournaments that would be hosted on such an event, meant that the knights would do something that they would rarely do for the rest of the year: Actually train.

 

The rest of the year they would merely polish their armour, get drunk and strut around like peacocks, though most of them thought that he worked far too hard so there might be a bit of a difference in perceptions there.

 

Alexander considered all of this as he sat in the corner of the training yard, sharpening his sword, he ignored some of the looks that a few of the squires gave him while he was sharpening the blade with what he assumed was a somewhat intense expression upon his face.

 

There were only really two other knights who he knew by name who trained, and they were Ser Leon the Immortal and Ser Virion of the Fell Wind, both of whom were currently sparring with each other.

 

Ser Leon was a rather thick man, had a really chiselled look to his body. His skin was very tanned and a bit leathery from years worth of exposure and a hard body that was forged on the battlefield, his face, and from what he heard, most of his body was covered in scars, all across his body, some wounds were jagged, some looked clean cut, some appeared to be old, some new. He had a thick head of curly dark brown hair that matched his skin tone and a full, thick beard across his face, though it parted in some places as a result of some of the scars across his face. He wore a set of custom full plate armour that was designed to have a sort of hydra motif to it, with most of the plate being designed to look like it had black scales across it, though according to some people, they were actual hydra scales which, honestly, wouldn't surprise Alexander at this point. He often enjoyed wielding a flail and a longsword, fighting recklessly, dodging under the strikes of an enemy to get closer and to make use of the fact that he fought like no one else in the entire Kingdom.

 

Virion of the Fell Wind was, is, beautiful, he had, clear and deep umber skin, forest green eyes and long luscious straight that fell over his back like a silver waterfall. He is about three hundred years old though looked like a twenty-year-old man since he was an elf. He had a quick and thin form that hid his considerable strength that was obvious with how he wielded his billhook, fighting defensively and quickly knocking most strikes out of the way before they could even get close to connecting.

 

Alexander watched the two knights, both being the polar opposite of each other spar, all while he sharpened his sword. He thought about why he pushed himself so hard to become a knight at the age of twenty and to take his vows as a paladin two years before that. The reason was simple when one thought about it: his last name.

 

That damnable name, Bronzewing, is the entire reason why he pushed himself so hard, especially considering the scandal involving his uncle, and then three out of four of his aunties. It tarnished the name to something that was even worse than it already was, not that such a thing could be easily achieved, they were apparently already known for being the sort of people who shoved themselves into the affairs of state, but with the various scandals, the House became known as a 'Dying House, clinging to the glory of centuries gone by'. The shame that he felt from the ridicule, it pushed him to train harder to train more to become more zealous in his duties. He considered one of his most recent mistakes, bringing the embodiment of everything that people hated about House Bronzewing, more commonly known as, his uncle, Edward the Treacherous, to the Capital.

 

Alexander took his focus off his thoughts and inspected the edge of the sword, admiring how sharp the blade was and how the steel shined in the sunlight. How it would feel to smite the unjust with such a weapon, though that single thought led to something. 'Robyn is officially considered innocent, should she be treated as such? She is still suspicious.' he turned his head, seeing some movement out of the corner of his eye - Robyn, just leaning against a nearby pillar, wearing a black dress and looking bored.

 

Having nothing else to do and still not entirely trusting the witch, he walked up to her, "What are you doing here?" he asked, an accusatory tone in her voice.

 

"Is it a crime to be bored?" Robyn asked, "because I'm not exactly up to date on the laws in the Kingdom, so do tell me if I'm actually breaking any laws." She had a small, smug grin.

 

"No, it's not a crime to be bored." Alexander said, "But you still haven't answered my question: What. Are. You doing here?" He was very annoyed at her attitude and wasn't in the mood to deal with it.

 

"You got me," Robyn put a hand on her chest in an overdramatic fashion "You caught me at my evil and very witchlike plan to watch you sharpen a sword very, very intensely." She dropped down to her knees "whatever shall I do, the very astute and not-at-all-over-zealous Ser Alexander has caught me." She let out a few rather loud and fake sobbing sounds before stopping and getting up. "I'm just passing the time."

 

"Okay, but why exactly are you passing the time, aren't you in the employ of Her Highness?" Alexander asked. He would admit the news that Robyn was now a servant of Her Highness wasn't exactly something that pleased him all that much.

 

"Well, Her Highness is currently having a conversation with His Majesty, who decided that I shouldn't exactly be privy to those details." Robyn explained clearly "You know how it is, His Majesty's word is final in most matters, example: Robyn Lancaster is considered innocent of all charges levelled against her." She gave a very condescending look at Alexander "you, know very minor things like that. Words that mean you don't have to be checking up on me every five minutes."

 

There was something that might have snapped in Alexander's mind, he loathed being talked down to, and he was going to teach her first hand the punishment for her actions. Ripping the glove off his left hand, he swung it and slapped her in the face with it. She visibly recoiled from the damage, holding her face with her hand where the glove made contact. "I demand satisfaction," Alex said clearly, there was no rage in his tone, very little anger, just a pure calmness that almost scared him.

 

"I must've struck a nerve," Robyn muttered as she looked at the knight, "fine then, but I demand my right to a second."

 

"Why exactly do you demand that right?" Alexander asked, he vaguely knew the rights of a challenged noble, and she was most certainly not a member of the nobility.

 

"I am Her Highness' handmaiden, and I'm pretty sure that qualifies me for some of the rights, as such, I demand a second," Robyn repeated.

 

"Fine. Name your second."

 

"Her Highness, Princess Anna of House Winter, shall be my second," Robyn responded, Alexander found himself being confused at this, why the hell would she demand the princess as a second. "Is that so bad for you, choir boy?"

 

"Fine, I name my brother, Ser Darian of House Bronzewing as my second," Alexander responded, the fury that he felt earlier had built up again, and he was considering slashing at her with his longsword right then and there.

 

It was at this moment, that the Architect decided the meeting between His Majesty and Her Highness had ended, as the Princess had just appeared around the corner to come into what must've looked very poor for Alexander.

**23rd Day of the Month of the Rose Blooms – Noon – Training Yard – Anna Winter**

 

Anna was not the sort of person who enjoyed seeing the minor nobility bicker amongst each other, which is possibly why she felt a small amount of rage bubbling in her chest at the sight of Robyn and Alexander standing in front of each other. Both are looking angry, Alex holding a leather glove in his right hand and Robyn holding her face like she had just been struck.

 

"What in the Thousand Hells just happened?" Anna said as she walked up to the pair, she was channelling one of the least liked aspects of her royal training, which was how to inspire such a fearsome presence that most felt that she would find out everything. "Actually don't tell me." She looked at Alexander first "You challenged Robyn to a duel. Why?"

 

"She insulted my honour." Alexander defended "She has been insulting it since she got here. I decided that it was time to teach her a lesson." He sounded a bit proud of himself at that. "She had to know the price of her actions."

 

 _'Oh, Ally,'_ She thought, _'Ally, Ally, Ally, you are not exactly thinking straight'_ Anna decided that she would convert her thoughts into words for him. "Alexander, you are aware that challenging my handmaiden to a duel casts an insult upon my own honour, as she is in my service." Anna responded, "or did you not think of that?"

 

"Oh," Alexander said, dumbly. "Though she did name you as her Second in this matter."

 

Anna turned to Robyn, "Is this true?"

 

"Yes," Robyn admitted, "But isn't the role of a Second to negotiate peace on behalf of the two parties?" Robyn asked.

 

"No, the role of a second is to act as a champion on behalf of the parties." Anna corrected, not entirely sure where Robyn got such an outlandish idea from "Who exactly did Ser Alexander name as his champion?"

 

"He named his brother," Robyn responded, "So, I'm guessing that a challenge can't be rescinded." She added. Anna felt a headache incoming, was Robyn even remotely educated on the idea of a duel?

 

Anna massaged the temples of her head, to soothe her headache. "Well then, as I am acting on behalf of the challenged party in this matter, I choose the duelling grounds, on the first day of the Gathering of the Nobility and the duel is until one part is unable to fight or surrenders. Please do inform your brother of this development." Anna walked away from the knight with a feeling of rage boiling in her chest.

 

How dare he even think of striking Her handmaiden, how dare he challenge her to a duel and ... how dare she pick her to be her champion. Anna needed to work out her rage somehow.

**23rd Day of the Rose Blooms – Early Afternoon – Iron and Blood Blacksmiths – Anna Winter**

 

Anna was no fool when it came to weapons, she knew that she was not a professional when it came to their maintenance, as such, she knew that it would be prudent to deliver her weapon to a professional blacksmith.

 

As such, she was here at the Iron and Blood Blacksmiths, it was a rather humble establishment in the Commerce District, it usually served adventurers, as such, they didn't ask many questions.

 

The outside of the shop was similar to so many other shops nearby,  built from grey stone with a visible pine log frame, the only thing that differentiated it from the other blacksmiths in the area was the sign, a three-headed dragon and the words 'Iron and Blood' inscribed in a rather simple font. As was typical of a blacksmith shop, it smelt strongly of soot, sweat, oil and burning coal.

 

The store itself was owned by two people, one of them was Robert Strong, and the other was Matthew Henderson.

 

Robert Strong filled the look of a typical northerner down to a T, he had long blonde hair that came down to his back and was littered with several braids to keep it in some semblance of order. Furthermore, he also had the beginnings of a beard which could be seen with the thick stubble that was across his face. He had icy blue eyes, pale skin and lots of muscles, though he was not exactly the most pleasant person to talk to, he didn't seem to believe in bathing himself meaning that his skin had multiple patches of dirt that had grounded its way into his skin. He stunk of sweat and several other substances that Anna was not brave enough to name. He was also a bit of a misogynist, believing that most of the women who entered the shop either got lost, looking for a 'real man' or better yet, buying something for their husbands.

 

Matthew Hendeson was a more interesting fellow, he looked like he had elvish heritage, though he was quick to confirm that it wasn't the case. His hair was a thick, unruly mop of curly auburn hair that was eventually tied into a medium ponytail that came down to his shoulders, a few of the locks of his hair was purple for some odd reason. He had pale skin as well, though it wasn't nearly as dirty as Robert's, signifying that Matthew at least bathed regularly. Somehow if one got close enough to smell him, he emanated the scent of nightshade of all things. Matthew favoured being more polite to all the customers and enjoyed hearing tales of their adventures, though he tended never to give anyone a discount unless he really liked them. He was also not the sanest person, he seemed to hear music that nobody heard and almost everything was a private joke with him.

 

Fortunately for Anna, the brunet was the one who was on duty today. Standing at the counter, looking rather bored, polishing a piece of armour. As Anna entered the store, he gave a friendly greeting "Welcome to the Iron and Blood Blacksmiths, how can I-" He paused as he looked at Anna. "Your Highness, what can I get you?"

 

Anna was holding her sheathed longsword in a large wrap of cloth, holding it out for Matthew and revealing the sheathed blade "I need to get this sharpened." She said directly, then her thoughts drifted towards something else, a certain raven-haired girl who she employed "I also might need a rapier of some kind, preferably a training blade for current usage and then a custom rapier for later use."

 

Matthew seemed to consider this quite well. "I can get that longsword sharpened for you within an hour; the practice blade should be easy, we have a rack of swords so blunt that they could be considered tourney blades." He jerked his head over to a rack on the side. Anna knew of that practice. It was primarily meant to make sure that an enterprising thief couldn't steal a sword from the shop and immediately use it. "The custom rapier though, I could get started on the hilt today, but I am going to need some measurements for who this blade is meant for." Ah, there was that.

 

"One moment," Anna responded before beckoning her handmaiden, who was standing outside the shop inside. "This is the intended wielder of the custom weapon."

 

Matthew looked Robyn up and down, his eyes overtly taking in her height. A hand to his chin he muttered a few calculations to himself as he took in every detail, particularly her height. He proceeded to go to write down a few details to himself.

 

"Of course, Your Highness, I can probably get the design sketched up in an hour or so." He said, then he looked at the handmaiden "Any particular things that you want in the designs, any particular motifs, maybe words inscribed on the blade- actually ignore that last part, the blade of a rapier is too thin for that." He said, jabbering as his mind struggled to keep up with the words that were coming out of his move.

 

"Do you happen to know the story of the Raven Queen?" Robyn asked the man, a smirk on her face like she realised something

 

"The mortal who became the Goddess of Winter, Fate and Death," Matthew answered almost immediately, then a similar look came onto his face. "Wait, I recognise your accent. Are you from the United Kingdom?"

 

"Yes, London specifically, you?" Robyn responded,

 

"Derry." Matthew answered, "or is it Londonderry?" He asked no-one in particular

 

"Depends on the company," Robyn answered looking far too happy. She gave Matthew a small hug "pleasure to meet a fellow Brit."

 

Matthew seemed to stop for a second, as he was slightly touch-averse. "So, I'm guessing you want a feather motif."

 

"Yes, do you also know how to give a metal a black finish?" she asked Matthew. He held a finger to his chin as he started thinking.

 

"I think I can get that particular reaction, though it would increase the cost, though you have the Crown funding yourself, so that is not a large concern." Matthew said "though, it pains me to say this, I am willing to add a cut to get you fitted with some armour. Consider it a discount."

 

Anna almost felt the need to pinch herself as she watched the infamously stingy Matthew actually offer a discount. "I don't think I need any armour, I'm not exactly going out on any adventures. Though I would be happy to get the Crown to pay extra for a black finish on the hilt."

 

Anna felt the need to finish the conversation before Robert actually walked into the store to see two women in his shop. "So, how much would that run us, in total?"

 

"Let's see..." Matthew looked down at a piece of paper that he had on the desk and used an ink pen to scribble a few things down as he calculated things at a speed that almost surprised Anna. "About three hundred silver for the custom rapier, for the training blade, let's assume ... twenty silver and ten silver for the sharpening job, so that would go up to about three hundred and thirty silver. I should have the sharpened sword and the designs ready for tomorrow morning if you want to review them then."

 

"Of course, though I'm going to have to get back to you in the morning concerning the silver payment as I hardly carry the silver for this deal around with me," Anna responded, not wanting to think of the amount of change she would get if she instead paid for it in gold.

 

"Then you won't get the training sword, and I will be keeping your longsword here as security on that payment," Matthew responded, his business senses evidently kicking in.

 

Anna supposed that was that. She left the blacksmith shop. "Bye, Matthew. Pleasure meeting you." Robyn said as she followed after Anna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah... I wasn't satisfied with the original chapter 8 like I despised it and I also just got Grammarly Premium, so... it's a match made in heaven for my writing and in hell for my free time.
> 
> So be sure to leave a comment, it really helped me work hard and allows me to know that you actually think enough of my writing to make a sentence. Hell, even if you are leaving a long list of barely coherent sentences, it's still alright. Just do it.
> 
> Or if you haven't already, leave a kudos, those are also fun.


	9. Swords, Sorcery and Tomes

**24th Day of the Month of Rose Blooms – Early Morning – Council Chambers – Helias Winter**

 

Helias viewed the Council Chambers as a miserable place, not because it was constructed out of dark stone and made for security's purpose rather than to be aesthetically pleasing. No, the reason why was because it was of the decisions that were made in this room, this one simple room where the fate of the Kingdom could be decided with a single stroke of a pen.

 

Usually, the entirety of the Council would be there when Helias was in the chambers, primarily because this was a place for meetings of the entire Council to occur. Though currently, there was only one other member of the Council in the room and that was his Court Mage, Countess Elizabeth Bronzewing, one of the few members of House Bronzewing who was actually tolerable.

 

She was not exactly the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom, she had a thin, almost androgynous figure with somewhat unhealthy-looking pale skin. Her long, black hair was done up into a slightly loose bun, with a few of the hairs sticking out at odd angles and several grey ones sprouting due to the stressful nature of her job. She was currently dressed in a somewhat loose set of blue wizard robes with a small, brass pin shaped into the crest of Emain.

 

Helias would be the first to notice that there were bags under her eyes from where she evidentially had not slept tonight, which was not unusual for her as she was known for having a passion with magic and as such, her job.

 

"Is there any reason why you needed to tell me something at such an ungodly hour?" Helias asked, exhaustion present in his voice, he had not got enough sleep last night, though he barely remembered when he last got enough sleep.

 

"I believe that Edward the Treacherous is back in Serenity's Grace." She said simply, dropping that piece of news like it was a penny "I have picked up signs of magic, almost unnoticeable from Edward's old manse." She added like that was much of an explanation. To be clear, it wasn't Helias couldn't really understand magic all that well.

 

"Could you please explain that for non-magic users?" Helias asked, watching as Elizabeth's eyes rolled slightly

 

"Basically, every mage can feel a disturbance whenever magic is cast, for spells that put less strain on the user, it is basically unnoticeable, the more strain on the caster, the more noticeable it is." Elizabeth explained, "I detected a somewhat powerful spell being cast in Edward's Manse, which is still legally owned by Edward."

 

"It could be that Renford Stone character," Helias responded. Renford was a profoundly stupid name now that he thought about it.

 

"Ah, small problem with that, I forgot to mention is that each mage has a unique signature for their magic, it's like their mark on the world after they alter it, some of them have very similar signatures, Edward's is... almost perfect for the sort of person he is: arrogant, overblown and dramatic. There's no doubt that it's him."

 

"You waited this long to tell me?" Helias asked, sounding a little confused, if she suspected something then why did she wait so long?

 

"I needed to make sure that I wasn't jumping at shadows. I needed time to analyse it, the lack of magic that is used and the presence of Edward's arcane signature makes it evident that he is indeed within the city."

 

"Do you have an idea of who it is or where he is?" Helias asked he knew he wasn't the best at matters of intrigue and secrecy,

 

"I have a few theories, but I need to confirm them personally before I alert you to anything," Elizabeth answered, holding a hand up to her chin, seemingly in contemplation, "I should get some back to by the end of the day." she seemingly drifted off for a single moment before waking herself up again.

 

"How long have you been awake?" Helias asked, worrying about the health of his favourite Bronzewing.

 

"A couple days, I know that I need to get some sleep, but for now it is irrelevant. I can sleep after I oust my brother." She said, sounding a bit insistent; however, it was hard to respect someone who was so close to passing out in the Council Chamber.

 

"Elizabeth, I mean this as a friend, you can investigate your brother tomorrow, his plan will hardly go into motion today seeing as he's had so little time in the Capital." Helias commanded, turning his royal presence up to eleven "you're no use to anyone when you're suffering from sleep exhaustion."

 

Elizabeth clearly spent about a minute in silence as she thought it over in her head, obviously weighing the pros and cons before coming to a decision "You're right, your majesty. I'll at least get some sleep before I continue on with my investigation."

 

She smoothed out her robes, got out of her chair and gave a small bow to Helias before leaving the room.

 

The second the chamber doors closed with a loud thud, the reluctant king put a hand to his face. "Architect damn that woman..." He muttered to himself.

**24th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Iron and Blood Blacksmiths – Matthew Henderson**

 

Matthew was not precisely what one would consider as a sane person, he knew that much, and he understood why people said that and to be honest, he wholeheartedly agreed with them.

 

Though as he looked at the longsword that he was sharpening to a razor's edge to the point where it was better than new to even the most untrained eye. He held the blade close to his face like the cold steel would whisper something to him. What was this blade's name? He wondered to himself, was it 'Heart Seeker', or maybe it was 'Fury', considering that it belonged to a member of royalty, it was probably 'Royal Vengeance' he always had a way with steel, giving the blade a few sharp practice swings, listening as the steel sang in joy as it moved through the air.

 

He decided that this was a sword that was quite likeable, the steel sang wonderfully as it moved through the air. The blacksmith almost reluctantly sheathed the sword, he did have to give it to a princess. Next to the scabbard, was a piece of heavily weathered parchment with a design of a rapier that was requested by a fellow Earthling, something about the term was be a bit cliché, he supposed that Otherworlder would seem a bit more fitting, it had the right mystique to it.

 

He had to admit and say that he had spent a bit too much time figuring out the measurements in his head, not to mention the fact that he spent at least a couple of hours last night searching for what he could use to put the requested black finish on it.

 

The door to the shop opened, and Matthew smelt the person before seeing him, it was Robert. "Hey Boss," Matthew said as the Northman entered the shop, with a scent that seemed to emanate from him.

 

"Hey Matthew, you get much sleep last night?" He asked.

 

Matthew looked at his reflection in a nearby dagger and saw the bags under his eyes. "I guess you're right. It's just that I had a custom order to begin work on. So, I understandably didn't get much sleep." The younger blacksmith agreed.

 

Robert's eyes lit up "A custom order, tell me more." he said. It was a well-known fact that the only thing that interested Robert more than women was a custom order, mainly due to the complexities of the design.

 

"It's a rapier design," It was with those words, that Robert lost all interest in the weapon, his dislike of the weaponry was almost as legendary as his treatment of the female customers. "The customer wanted a black and feathery motif for the rapier." He mumbled to himself, considering just how much of a pain it would be to forge the handguard.

 

It was at this moment, that the Otherworlder from yesterday. She was wearing a rather standard set of clothes that was more designed for practicality than anything else. A grey tunic, black leather breeches and boots as well as a vest of the same colour. She was wearing a pair of half-rims. A black cloak covered much of her frame. Her face turned to a mask of barely concealed disgust as she entered the store, possibly due to the Northman's stench.

 

But the most important thing was the fact that she was holding in her hands a small chest that Matthew was almost certain contained silver.

 

Opening the chest, she revealed a pile of gleaming silver coins. "I'm here to deliver the payment for yesterday." She said, her accent a mix of Londoner and part Emainian, though she was probably not aware of that bit of cultural assimilation.

 

"Thank you very much," Matthew said, before pausing "Actually, I don't think I got your name."

 

"That's because I never put it out there." The girl said, responding immediately. "I believe I'm here for business rather than socialising."

 

Robert looked like he was about to say something, but Matthew cut him off before he could begin, "But it would be annoying referring to you as 'That one lady-in-waiting, or 'The girl who knows the story of The Raven Queen' both of which are a mouthful and I don't refer to people exclusively as 'girl' or 'boy' both of those get confusing really quickly."

 

"Robyn." The girl responded, "My name is Robyn Lancaster." She clarified. Laying the chest full of silver onto the desk softly, like she didn't want any of it to fall out. "And that should be the entire payment, all three hundred and thirty silver." She sounded a bit proud at that. "Now, your end of the bargain."

 

"Of course." Matthew continued, first taking the masterwork longsword, and handing it to her "A gift from Kord himself..." He muttered as she took the longsword, she laughed at his cheesy reference. The second gift was a blunted rapier that would be used for training purposes, this one was one of his works, though it was safe to assume that most of the rapiers and sabres in the store were his works. "And the proposed design is ..." Matthew started looking around the desk, picking up the piece of paper in question, "on this paper."

 

Robyn appeared to scrutinise the design for a few seconds, her head tilting as she considered it. Mulling it over in her head "Yes, this is good." She said, with a small satisfied smirk.

 

Robert leaned into Matthew and muttered "What does she need a longsword for anyway?" at least this was Robert considered 'muttering’, so it was easily audible to literally everyone with a set of ears.

 

"The longsword is not for me," Robyn answered, with a tone that spoke of annoyance. "The custom rapier is for me."

 

"Then who is the longsword for? Your boyfriend." Robert asked, "your husband?"

 

"You probably don't know her," Robyn said, her voice having a hint of pride mixed with sarcasm being palpable. "She's only Her Royal Highness, Anna of the House Winter." Robyn said, her voice thick with a small bit of pride "So, no not my boyfriend or husband, unless there's something I've yet to be made aware of."

 

That had struck Robert speechless for a few seconds as part of him seemed to short-circuit. The blacksmith turned to his compatriot, "Did you know about this?" He asked, a small bit of desperation to not be embarrassed in front of his co-worker and a woman creeping into his voice.

 

"I knew all about it," Matthew responded, not caring about how insufferably smug he must have sounded right now, "All I had to do was to wait for you to mess up."

 

Oh, he was going to receive so much shit for that later, but the look on Robert's face would be worth at least ten percent of the bruises he was going to suffer.

 

**24th Day of the Rose Blooms – Noon – Training Yard – Anna Winter**

 

Anna was standing dressed in her half-plate armour again, Robyn was sitting aside watching, being ready to give Anna any refreshments that she would need.

 

The longsword was one of the most versatile weapons to have ever been invented. The sword can bludgeon with the flat of the blade and the crossguard, the edge can cut and pierce through defences.

 

Anna started off by practising a few simple drills, horizontal slashes and follow up swipes to maximise the number of assaults she could possibly perform in a small amount of time.

 

Anna considered what she remembered from how Darian fought if memory served, he used his bastard sword in two hands, performing wide arcing slashes that forced an opponent to continually have to give ground or hunker down with their shield if they didn't want to be struck.

 

However, Anna would be a fool to not be able to notice a weakness in Darian’s fighting method, it was that he often telegraphed some of his moves, a necessity considering the size of his weapon. However, that did not mean he was easy to predict, you didn't survive the Witch Queen's War by being easy to predict.

 

So she'd have to find some way of working around his considerable skill. One method would be unpredictability, though she did have a good weapon to counter his bastard sword, she had a shield and her quick wits.

 

She practised a few standard drill strikes, knowing that it was probably not enough, she would probably lose the duel considering. Though the fact that the conditions were until one side surrenders or is unable to fight is a frightening prospect.

 

Which begged the question of why exactly Anna was gladly fighting for her handmaiden, Robyn was a troublemaker and loved messing with everyone. She seemed so smart but lacked a verbal filter.

 

The handmaiden was cunning, very cunning; in ways, she didn't intend. Anna let out another practice slash, following it up with a backslash and shield bash. Following this up with a high block with her shield, adding a low slash afterwards.

 

Anna unleashed an extra stab that would've cut the face of Darian if she was fighting him.

 

Anna was starting to realise something as she drilled the standard longsword and shield attacks in her head. She wasn't all that mad that she was fighting for Robyn's honour, don't get her wrong, she was still angry that Robyn was antagonising Alexander in the first place and that she then picked Anna as a champion in the first place.

 

Then there was the feeling of Robyn in her arms. That feeling that made Anna feel safe and warmer than Robyn had any right to be. She had read about these feelings before, and Robyn had told her while reading that story about the maiden and the witch that women can have those feelings for other women. Oh, how Anna could listen to that voice for hours as both of them read together.

 

It hit Anna with all the force of an Imperial cavalry charge, she might very well be in love with Robyn, or at least have some odd feelings for the black-haired woman.

 

It all made sense to Anna, her protectiveness towards Robyn, the fact that she was willing to stand up for Robyn in the middle of a trail and the fact that she was actually willing to stand for Robyn in a duel.

 

Well, it was either that or Alexander's charm-theory was more truthful than it initially seemed.

**24th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Afternoon – Royal Library – Robyn Lancaster**

 

Seeing as Her Highness has asked her away while she trained, Robyn was availing herself of something that she should have probably spent more time doing: researching.

 

Theoretically speaking if she understood the process of which a Resurrection could take place, she could prevent something like that from happening, after all, the Witch Queen was apparently famous enough to gain loyal supporters, so it is likely that there might be some cult trying to bring her back from the dead.

 

Though of course, that led to her trying to find a few books on the subject of magic, she had already read part-way through beginner's magic theory and found the book to be dry but fascinating, she wasn't a part of the world and so it was interesting to start learning about the magic of this world. Though that wasn't what really interested her, what interested her immensely was the idea that the Witch Queen could be resurrected.

 

Unfortunately, it would seem that the library did not have tomes on that subject, so instead, she did something nearly unthinkable, she read through some books on continental politics.

 

The first book looked like a student level essay, it was a good enough introduction to the politics of Pacajteroj.

 

Basically, the Kingdom of Emain has four neighbours, to the North, there is the Kingdom of Yaegary, which imports Emainian wine and exports minerals.

 

To the South, there is the Confederacy of Princes and the Trade League, both of these nations are pro-trade and somewhat falsehearted in most cases with both of them supporting both sides of the Witch Queen's War. However, with both of them supplying extra water for the Kingdom during the summer droughts makes them tolerable.

 

To the East, there is what is known as The Empire, which is mainly pro-status quo in most of their foreign relations, even going so far as to lend an entire legion to the Kingdom during the Witch Queen's War.

 

At least, that's what she was able to interpret from the clumsy writing of the essay. After going onto much better, but thicker books that took up most of her afternoon reading, she was able to confirm what the earlier writing had stated.

 

After reading and feeling a splitting headache come on, she slammed her head down onto the desk, letting out a groan. Reading was a fun activity but reading something that was boring was enough to make her wish she could forget how to read.

 

Actually, thinking about reading, she wondered why the books in this world all seemed to be written using Latin characters and they seemed to be using Arabic numerals.

 

Feeling her headache worsen, Robyn decided to discard that train of thought, at least until she was half-awake and staring up at the ceiling.

 

She wonders how Anna is doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took far too long. I have no excuses, only just a sincere apology for the amount of time it took.
> 
> So, standard stuff, please leave a comment, a kudos, just anything to let me know that you are both reading this and enjoying it.
> 
> Also, seeing as this is likely going to be the last chapter of the year. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, or a Blessed Yule and, of course, a Happy New Year.


	10. A Dress and Realizations

****

**26th Day of the Month of the Rose Blooms – Early Morning – Edward's Manse – Ser Alexander**

 

There was something that could best be described as pure unmitigated fury clouded the face of Renford Stone at this time. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU CHALLENGED THE PRINCESS' HANDMAIDEN TO A DUEL!" He screamed, while it was phrased like a question, it was rhetorical. "WHAT IN THE THOUSAND BLOODY HELLS WERE YOU THINKING!"

 

"I don't know, something just snapped within me," Alexander responded, "She had been insulting my honour since I got here."

 

"Well screw your bloody honour, if you cared so much about it, then you wouldn't have invited your uncle down to Serenity's Grace in the first place!" Renford shouted, he looked at what was referred to as the 'planning board' "I've got to rewrite at least a dozen plans and plots to make up for the fact that you couldn't let yourself get insulted one more time." He turned to Darian who was also witnessing the proceedings "Please tell me there's nothing else about this entire situation that's going on."

 

"Well Robyn named Her Highness as her champion, and Her Highness accepted," Darian said, not entirely sure if there was a good way to phrase it.

 

If Renford's face was pure unmitigated fury than this was enough to make a god of rage manifest out of his forehead at just who pissed off he looked. "WHAT!?" He simply screamed his voice sounding like it was several octaves too high and that his sanity was dangling by a single thin thread. What was worse was the fact that he looked like he was literally glowing with rage and small sparks were manifesting in his hands at his anger. He then breathed out, and his rage seemed to cool "Architect above, I'm surrounded by idiots." His hand massaged the bridge of his nose. "Just get out, I've got some planning to do."

 

Alexander wasn't an idiot and decided that it was probably in his best interests to leave the manse.

**26th Day of the Month of the Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Royal Arcanum – Helias Winter**

 

Helias wasn't the sort of person who usually visited the Royal Arcanum, the room itself was quite spacious; unfortunately, Countess Elizabeth Bronzewing wasn't the sort of person who organised all that well. As a result, the normally spacious room was cluttered with old tomes on everything from magic theory to alchemy and in between. With most of the desks being lined with alchemical flasks and beakers, as well as things that probably made sense to the Good Countess but not to Helias.

 

The stone of the room was quite light, with it only being a relatively recent addition to the Grand Keep, it approximately dated back to three centuries ago, during the reign of the First Winter King. The room itself, however, was poorly lit, with only a few oil lamps hanging around the room at strategic places to ensure maximum efficiency.

 

Though one of the main reasons why Helias didn't make regular visits to the Arcanum was because of the smell, putrid didn't begin to describe it, there was the scent of a multitude of different chemicals, possibly spoilt ingredients, the semi-permanent smell of brimstone that came with casting certain spells made for a terrible aroma. Combine that with the heavy rose-scented perfume that the Good Countess wore and stepping into the room was enough to make Helias faint.

 

Though of course, at the centre of the room, surrounded by books and bubbling chemicals, was the very woman who he had come here to see, Countess Elizabeth Bronzewing. Who looked only slightly more well-rested than she did during their talk two days ago. She almost immediately saw him.

 

"Your Majesty," she greeted, looking somewhat pleased "To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?"

 

"I came here to ask you about the presence of Edward within the city." Helias noticed how at the mention of her brother's name, Elizabeth seemed to almost realise something.

 

"Ah, yeah, about that." She started "Earlier in the morning, I felt his magic flare up again in Edward's Manse. It is stronger than it was in the past."

 

"Would that be a problem?" Helias asked, concern painting his face, he cared about Elizabeth, she was a trusted member of his Council, though, at the question, she put on a confident smirk.

 

"I'm the only member of the Bronzewing family with a shred of magic talent, and I've had decades to hone my craft, Edward is basically a petulant child pretending he knows what he's doing." She scoffed "I'm still surprised he even knows how to cast magic, he's notoriously bad at it."

 

"So, we have nothing to worry about." Helias said, only stopping after a second when he realised just how stupid that sounded "I forgot, he's a Bronzewing, of course, he has something prepared to even the odds."

 

Elizabeth gave him a flat look "It might very well be having some mercs nearby, that or he hired an adventurer to help." She paused as she mulled over something "Architect above, there's too many unknowns, I don't know who's helping him, I don't see why he's here. He's had two decades to make his appearance, and he does it now." She seemed to pause "What happened recently that would cause him to come here. There's the upcoming Gathering of Nobility, but he's never cared for that, there's the appearance of that girl, Robyn I think her name was."

 

"Yes, that's the name of my daughter's handmaiden," Helias responded, he found something odd about the fact that the first handmaiden his daughter hired was a girl of unclear origins and not a lady of repute. "What about that Renford Stone character?"

 

"Renford Stone...." she paused as she considered something "of course! That nobleman whose appeared just as mysteriously as that Robyn girl. Maybe talk to Duke Proudsong about having Renford make a trip to the dungeons." She then paused as she realised something, "of course, it's your call, Your Majesty."

 

"I'll do what I can do," Helias answered, he knew that there was still too much to do when considering the reforms he was still implementing.

**26th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Royal Library – Anna Winter**

 

Anna was still unsure what to think about her feelings for Robyn, she was fighting to defend her handmaiden's honour, something she never thought that she'd do for anyone.

 

Thinking of her handmaiden, Anna saw that the outlander in question was reading through several books. One of the most interesting being a book on the rest of Pacajteroj, with a pensive look on her face.

 

"Hey, Anna" Robyn suddenly said, barely looking up from her book.

 

"Yes?" Anna responded

 

"Exactly how factual is this book, because I doubt some of the things that are stated in this book." She asked.

 

"What do you mean?" Anna asked she was taught continent politics using that book, though she had some doubts about it.

 

"Well, it talks of the Freeholders as if they were ill-educated barbarians, at the worst of times, at the best of times, they're described as basically being like bandit kingdoms," Robyn said, flipping back through the book, she found another example "it describes the eastern kingdoms as little more than strange raiders. Even better, they have a glowing endorsement of the Architect's Lands, which are portrayed as a paradise on Earth."

 

"Oh, wait, is that 'A Treatise on the Kingdoms of Acoroma' by Desmond the Mild?" Anna asked, Robyn was definitely reading the wrong book, that tome was notorious for its glaring inaccuracies.

 

Robyn looked at the book. "Yep, I'm guessing that it's not all that factual."

 

Anna started laughing at that "That's an understatement, it's basically a work of fiction."  She got up from her copy of 'Fencing Techniques of Pacajteroj' and went through the small politics section of the library "When it's available, trust what Azure the Odd says, she's one of the best on the subjects." Anna removed a tome that was about nineteen inches thick and was ridiculously heavy. "While this only covers Pacajteroj, there's nothing better for learning about the Kingdoms." She placed the book on Robyn tables where it landed with a heavy thud.

 

The book was leatherbound, with the title 'The Kingdoms and Empires of Pacajteroj' inscribed in what looked like shining bronze and a brass clasp and corners holding the weighty book together, Robyn undid the clasp and began reading it "Who the hell is this Azure the Odd and why did she write something so large?"

 

Anna was slightly perplexed at Robyn's statement, the thought of there only being one hell seemed very odd to her. "Azure the Odd is a historian and general smart person. She's been known to write some very detailed things about everything really, except magic."

 

"So she's basically known for knowing everything and writing it down." Roybn looked at the book with a rather hopeless expression on her face "I really hope all her books aren't that big."

 

"No, this is her largest work, I believe she called it her Magnum Opus." Anna responded this seemed to cause Robyn to let out a pained groan.

 

"Oh goody, this just got even better." Robyn muttered as she began to read through the first page "Okay, skipping the first few pages because it's an introduction" She looked at Anna "Do you want to sit next to me? Because it's going to be a long ass book."

 

"And?"

 

"I'm probably not going to be moving from this seat for at least a day," Robyn responded without an ounce of sarcasm.

 

"I really hope that's hyperbole."

 

"There's a sure-fire way to find out." Robyn shifted in her seat and began reading quickly, tracing where she was at the book with her finger as she moved faster than Anna could hope to understand, mumbling to herself all the way of which Anna couldn't begin to decipher.

 

From what Anna could see, Robyn seemed to think that everyone read as quickly as she did. "Robyn, could you stop for a minute?"

 

"Of course," Robyn stopped reading "what do you need?"

 

"Why do you read so quickly? I can't even understand a word by the time you've finished the whole paragraph?"

 

"What, you can't speed-read?" Robyn asked, looking into Anna's eyes "Oh you can't. Sorry, I'll slow down."

 

"Speed read?" Anna asked, "wait, sorry. The name is quite self-explanatory." Though Anna wasn't sure why, or how she had developed it. "How did you acquire that talent?"

 

"It's unsurprisingly useful for academics, I was able to read information faster than anyone in my class, though I was less liable to fully understand it." She shrugged "everything comes with drawbacks."

 

"Name another case of that."

 

"The more you understand of the world, the less clear everything seems. Dangers become more apparent, risks become more and more unappealing to take, despite how good one's calculation is. However, by increasing one's  understanding of the world, you broaden your mind to other methods of doing things." She explained quickly, some of her words threatening to run together "Knowledge is both a blessing and a curse."

 

"But so is ignorance." Anna responded

 

"I would argue that knowledge can be more of a hindrance than a help. " Robyn countered, "However, at the same time, the world would be boring without knowledge." She added, agreeing.

 

"So did we just agree without intending to?" Anna asked, she was slightly disappointed at that, she wanted to distract herself from the massive book.

 

"I believe we have," Robyn answered. "Though I would like to get back to reading."

 

"So wait, why are you curious about the world then?" Ana asked. "If you believe that knowledge can hinder more than help, why do you wish to learn?"

 

"Learning is amusing, it is fun, in a way. Besides, if you are going to become Queen one day, I would want to know enough to talk politics with you at the dinner table." Robyn added. She really didn't like thinking about her coronation, especially considering that she had an actual date for it now, the thought made her feel, well ... nervous, she wondered if that was how her cousin felt before his coronation. "Anyway, if one is to rule the realm, one cannot do so in ignorance. In that case, ignorance leads to great evils."

 

"Then why do you think that knowledge can be a hindrance?"

 

"Because I've seen cases where a little knowledge or just incomplete knowledge of things have made situations worse. I was disowned by my mother because of my incomplete knowledge." Robyn admitted. Anna had some suspicions about Robyn, but she was unaware that her mother would go to that level. "Don't worry, I'm over it." Robyn added, her voice slightly hollow.

**26th Day of the Rose Blooms – Noon – Council Chambers – Helias Winter**

 Helias was not the type of person who liked intrigue, or for that matter his spymaster, though he was not entirely sure that he would ever find someone who DID like Fredrick.

 

While this was a situation that Helias would rather leave to his marshall to deal with, he knew that a public arrest during the Gathering of Nobility was not going to be appreciated by the rest of the damnable highborns. So that, unfortunately, left one real option open to him if he wanted this problem dealt with quickly.

 

Which was talking to Duke Frederick Proudsong, he was not the prettiest man in the entirety of the Kingdom, if anything, he was like a stitched together corpse in that he was viscerally disturbing to look at. Certain parts of him might be beautiful, but as a whole, he was disgusting.

 

Of course, as a member of House Proudsong, he seemed to be trained specially to be the creepiest person in the room with an above average understanding of both intrigue and the value of human life. Though that creepiness might have something to do with the fact that he just literally appeared out of a shadow that Helias was sure wasn't there beforehand.

 

Of course, he forgot one thing that Fredrick had an excellent understanding of shadow and spirit based magic. Which made him look less like an actual person and more like a creature from someone's nightmares, what with his porcelain white skin, lanky almost stretched looking frame and icy blue eyes.

 

"You asked for me, Your Majesty?" He said, and then there was his voice which was seemingly designed to be slimy and not entirely human.

 

"Yes, I did." Helias managed to say as he was suppressing his initial reaction to the voice. "I have a certain someone that I need imprisoned."

 

"Then why are you talking to me and not that idiot, Duke Darkmane? My field of expertise is in troubleshooting, not containing problems." Fredrick said, clearly not interested.

 

"I was under the impression that your purpose was to act as the left hand of the monarch, to protect the realm against those threats that are not overt," Helias responded, anger lacing into his voice. "And because I'm asking you means that I clearly have already dismissed the idea of talking to Darkmane."

 

"I apologise, Your Majesty, I was unaware that you were in such an irritable mood." Fredrick said, his voice seemed to be laced with sarcasm and that normal amount of sliminess that couldn't possibly be healthy. "Who is it you want to be imprisoned."

 

"Lord Renford Stone, I want him discreetly locked up, let's not have a public scandal so close to the Gathering. In addition, I want you to do a full search of Edward's Manse to see if there is anyone else there." Helias rattled off, he really didn't want to spend more time around Fredrick than he had to.

 

"When would you like this done, Your Majesty?" He asked

 

"As soon as possible, though I would prefer it if it were done during the night." The king answered to his spymaster.

 

"Of course, Your will be done." He said. "You will have Renford Stone in your dungeons."

 

At that, Fredrick walked backwards into the shadows which seemed to swallow him up and then he disappeared in them.

 

Helias would never understand exactly why people did stuff like that.

**26th Day of the Rose Blooms – Early Afternoon – Royal Library – Anna Winter**

 

Surprisingly true to her word, Robyn hadn't actually moved from where she was sitting from earlier, and she still had the book in front of her. It was quite surprising and somewhat depressing that she wasn't actually kidding, the only little bit of an idea that she was still alive was from the occasional flicking of a page and the mumbling that she did while reading.

 

Anna knew from past experiences that there was no way in hell she was going to be able to carry that book back to her room. And she also knew that there wasn't much of interest in the Royal Library, so Anna focused on the literal magic in the air.

 

She, like everyone else had a small bit of magical potential, though unlike most people had enough spare time to develop some of it, admittedly her magic wasn't much, she was only able to generate a small flame. Feeling the purple flame dance it's way along her hand and through her fingers was partially amusing.

 

Though she soon found that to be boring. It should be easy to make a small electrical discharge, she felt a little spark between her ring and middle finger. With a little bit of effort, she was able to get it to spin its way around her middle finger. Thinking about that, she went off to find some books on magic.

 

She went through the magic section and a couple of books on magic, she was forced to read a more basic magic book as she focused on the details on how to conjure lightning more effectively.

 

"Let's see here..." She mumbled to herself as her finger traced over some of the words. The basics of magic were on forcing one's will upon reality, Anna closed her eyes and imagine a ball of lightning, with no reason to be there other than the fact that she willed it to be there. She focused on it, with the murmuring of Robyn seemingly disappearing.

 

The will of the Architect disappeared from reality as she imposed her will upon it, when she opened her eyes she saw a smallish purple ball of electrical energy in her left hand.  A smile lit up her face, magic would give her a substantial advantage in a duel against Darian, though her loss of focus caused the bolt to fly off and hit the ceiling.

 

"What just happened?" Robyn said, an alarmed tone in her voice as she looked around.

 

"I tried a bit of magic, I'm not the best at it," Anna responded she was quite embarrassed by it, her mother was supposed to be quite a skilled mage, though Robyn's eyes lit up brilliantly at the admittance that Anna could do magic.

 

"You can do Magic?" She asked rhetorically, the next sound out of her lips was similar to that of a high pitched squeal as she uttered a few words that  Anna couldn't even be bothered to try to figure out.

 

"I'm not that good at it, I'm not even good enough to be considered combat ready. I'm sure some children can do better." Anna responded while Robyn's enjoyment was satisfying, "Sorry, some children can do better than me." Anna was used to some more grandiose displays of magic, such as that which Countess Elizabeth did that one time when someone challenged her to a duel, she wondered what happened to the poor fool.

 

He was probably alright.

 

"But you are learning, life isn't a marathon Anna." Robyn responded, laying her hands on Anna's shoulders "You've only just started practising a skill you haven't been doing for weeks, I doubt you'd be perfect."

 

That phrase improved Anna's mood, and she found herself smiling at that. "Thanks, Robyn." She said, amazed by how that name flowed so well off her tongue.

 

"No problem, also, you're blushing," Robyn said, looking rather amused.

 

Anna laughed at that, "I'm sure you like that sight." she responded.

 

Robyn's face was already flushed, but now she was doing an impression of a tomato "No comment."

 

Anna thought that the outlander was adorable, even if she would probably deny such claims heavily, she seemed like the type who didn't have a good image of herself.

 

"You should probably try that magic again." She suggested

 

"I guess I'll try." Anna responded

 

"Yep, I'll just be standing behind that bookcase." Robyn pointed towards a nearby bookcase and walked quickly towards it.

 

"Very funny." Anna responded. She closed her eyes and focused on the ball of lightning, it was simple, she was just making her will manifest on reality.

 

The Princess felt electrical static along her hands, opening her eyes, Anna saw the ball of lightning, she tried to maintain her composure and decided to remove the ball from the material world as it was starting to put a slight strain upon her. Unfortunately, she was not the best at that, and the ball instead just decreased in size, It was just small enough that it would probably annoy someone at best. She sent it out towards the ceiling again. Causing a little black spot in the stone from the burn.

**26th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Afternoon – Silk and Steel Tailors – Apprentice Natalie**

 

Natalie would be lying if she said that she wasn't tired, with the upcoming Gathering of Nobility, she had to work overtime to make sure that the dresses of the noblewomen were perfect for them. Which meant that she now had bags the size of buildings under her eyes.

 

But she would also be lying if she said that she wasn't damned proud of her work, it wasn't every day a literal princess ordered you to make a collection of dresses for her and paid in advance. Most noblewomen were the type who would try to stiff her on so many payments simply because Master Atlas was locked up in Sparrow's Reach.

 

Natalie looked upon the matching purple dresses, perfectly measured to the Princess and Robyn's measurements. With gold stitching for Her Highness' article and silver stitching for Robyn. Not to mention the other articles of clothing; honestly, the number of black dresses that Robyn wanted made her look like she was permanently in a state of mourning, despite her insistence that she wasn't in such a state.

 

Though she did look like she wouldn't be out of place in those scary novels, she sometimes bought from the Broken Quill. Thinking of foreign girl, she had entered the shop in her standard black clothing, "It's wonderful to see you, Natalie, how have the elements been treating you?"

 

Natalie had no idea about what she meant, but assumed it was akin to asking if she was alright. "I'm good, I take it you're asking for the dresses?"

 

"Of course, Her Highness paid good coin them and in advance as well." Robyn said, her eyes latched onto one of the black dresses that was on the clothing rack. "I see one example there, and it looks beautiful." She walked up to it and let her hand ghost over it. "Is this silk?"

 

"Yes, it is, imported from the mysterious shores of the Silversun Sea." The tailor answered though she wasn't exactly sure if the trader was lying to her just to charge a large amount of coin for it.

 

"It is beautiful and soft." Robyn said, "The stitching is damn near perfect. I'm not sure why people call you an Apprentice," the foreign girl looked the tailor dead in the eye "you're basically a master at your craft." She stopped, "Wait, is your schedule free enough to make another dress?"

 

"Yes," Natalie lied, most of the Noblewomen were not happy about how long it was taking, and she barely had enough time to sleep and eat. "What do you want."

 

"I want a small custom deal, I'll fill you in on the details tomorrow, but just know this, the length of the skirt might be a bit short," Robyn said, she was smiling with a wide grin.

 

"How short is 'short'?" Natalie asked, she did not need some certain mental images to be filling her head.

 

Robyn leaned over the counter and whispered into Natalie's ear "Quite short." She said, close enough for the tailor to feel Robyn's breath.

**26th Day of the Rose Blooms – Early Evening – Training Yard – Ser Alexander**

 

Alexander was sparring with his brother in order to make sure that he was ready for the duel, the two brothers were dressed in full armour, Darian with his trademark bastard sword, held in two hands. His style was aggressive but measured, he was skilled with the sword.

 

Alexander, on the other hand, was wielding a kite shield and longsword, what was, according to basically everyone, the perfect balance between defence and offence.

 

Alex knew that one of the easiest ways to counter Darian was to get inside his reach, turn his advantage into a disadvantage, as such he used his shield to push forward, angling it to deflect an overhead swing from his brother, who followed up his attack with an upwards slash that almost caught Alex off guard.

 

Darian stepped back a bit, in order to give himself more room. Alex almost crouched behind his shield, covering a good portion of his body behind it, he launched forward, desperate to get a hit. Darian dodged to the side and swung with his bastard sword, just barely missing Alexander. Who turned around to face his brother.

 

"So, you really thought that would work?" Darian said, running his left hand through his hair as he rested the sword on his shoulder. "I've trained with you in the past, I know that trick."

 

Alexander knew that this was Darian's method of taunting, but he tried to play the knight at his own game "Well, you've got sloppy." He crouched behind his shield again and started circling, making sure to keep his shield between him and the knight.

 

"And your technique has become stale." Darian responded, "If you spent less time praying to the Architect and more time experimenting, maybe something interesting would come out of you." He said, taunting the paladin.

 

The paladin didn't let the taunting get to him, he crept slowly towards the knight. Who in turn circled away from him, making sure to keep his distance. He suddenly took a step forward to test Alexander's reflexes but then took a step back. "And you call me sloppy, that was slow." He said.

 

"You haven't been training."

 

"Correction, I have, you just haven't noticed." he stepped forward and swung his sword in a wide arch that Alex managed to block by locking his longsword with the bastard sword.

 

Darian shoved forward, knocking the paladin to the ground. He pointed the blunt but still dangerous bastard sword at his brother's throat "Don't think I strut around like a peacock just because I'm not part of a holy order."

 

"You know I don't think that," Alexander said rather unconvincingly.

 

He removed the sword from the throat and helped his brother back up. "Come on, I'm not calling it quits because you got knocked on your ass within an hour."

 

The paladin and knight both dropped back down into their respective guards. Alexander's was low, while Darian's was high, bringing him up to his full height.

 

Darian started off with a downwards swing on Alexander, which the paladin blocked with his shield as he stepped forward into the knight's reach. He swung his sword horizontally but was surprised when Darian stepped out of the way of it and brought his boot down on Alex's calf muscle.

 

"And once again, dead," Darian said when he levelled the tip of the sword at his brother's neck "Please tell me you can do better, because at this stage it's depressing."

 

"You're just that good, I guess," Alexander responded as he got himself up, he tested his leg, "Looks like it's still good to go."

 

He dropped back into a guard and tried to remember how Darian fought, he was the sort of person who expected people to counter him, one just had to wait for him to overcompensate, and Alexander wasn't making a joke about sword sizes.

 

"I'm not that good. Not yet, you're just really bad." Darian said as he crouched down slightly. Alexander copied the stance. The knight changed his grip to half-sword the weapon.

 

"Really?" Alexander asked

 

"Really." Darian mimicked

 

This was actually quite good for the paladin, half-swording wasn't the most balanced thing in the world, despite what Darian's smug grin might make you think. That was a trick of Darian, his grin and confident stride made everyone believe that he was in complete control of the situation.

 

Darian started off the engagement, swinging the crossguard of his sword downwards, Alex dodged out of the way, listening as the blunt part of the weapon made a slight thud into the ground. The paladin stabbed at Darian's face, his blade stopping just at the knight's throat. "Dead," he said, mimicking his brother.

 

"There we go," Darian said with pride in his voice, "I knew you could do that quite well." The knight moved his arms slightly, and the world spun for Alex as he found himself on the ground. "Though I'm surprised you ignored that."

 

Darian rested his sword on his shoulder again as Alexander fumed "You cheated!"

 

"Correction, I made use of your unawareness, I have to be prepared for that when I'm duelling." The knight said

 

"I'm sure Her Highness won't put up that much of a fight, I mean, it's only her handmaiden," Alexander responded he had heard some rumours about them, but he was sure it was nothing.

 

Darian chuckled at that "Alex, how can you be so naive?" He paused "You see, when a woman and a woman love each other-"

 

"Okay, I get what you mean!" Alexander felt his face heat up a little bit. "Wait, how are you okay with this? I thought you liked Her Highness."

 

Darian shrugged "It was a childhood crush, and her slap was enough to dissuade any other feelings I might have, besides there's plenty of fish in the sea." He paused ", and their muscles are to die for."

 

Alexander decided that he didn't want to question it, getting his ass kicked was more enjoyable. "Besides Anna can't be that good, she didn't fight in the war?"

 

"She's a princess, she's had swordsmanship lessons, and is a skilled swordswoman, also she probably actually thinks unlike you," Darian responded, knocking on the top of Alexander's head to prove a point "Now get up and this time think."

 

Alex got up and readied himself, he decided that defensive fighting was a good idea, parrying and block Darian's attacks was probably for the best. "I thought she'd use a lance like His Majesty," Alex said, grunting as he deftly parried an overhead swing from his brother.

 

"Yeah, but His Majesty is odd like that." Darian recovered from the swing "Besides, even if she did wield a lance, she'd be just as dangerous," His blade flashed to the left and was blocked with the shield.

 

Alex swung right with his sword only to meet air as Darian dodged backwards. "How'd you figure?"

 

"She's smart, unlike you." Darian elbowed Alexander and then moved back to keep his distance "She's figured out that one needs to use more than their body in a fight."

 

"How'd you know, do you watch her train?" Alex asked, readying his shield

 

"I'm not blind, I've seen Anna's armour, it's designed for mobility over defence, I'm disappointed that I didn't think of that." Darian started changing stances, trying to keep Alex on his toes, "Come on, I'm dying of old age here."

 

"If only I was so lucky," Alex muttered as he lunged forward, his blade was parried by Darian who countered with a similar forward lunge that Alex blocked with his shield.

**26th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Evening – Royal Chambers – Helias Winter**

 

Helias was tired, the crown was not suited for him at all, the fact that his decisions could end thousands of lives was not something that rested easily with him, if anything, it made his job harder.

 

He placed his crown on the desk of his chambers, where several letters that had been delivered by messengers earlier in the day were stacked.

 

Some of them were marriage offers for his daughter, he was sure that he'd have to have the scribe write up a couple of strongly worded replies to those informing them of such a decision.

 

Another pile were marriage offers for him, though he was not keen on the thought of marrying a woman who half his age and he wouldn't betray the memory of his own wife like that. He considered throwing the letters into the fireplace.

 

Then there was one letter the piqued his interest, he saw that the seal was a dagger stabbed downwards, it was the seal of House Vatinii. He opened the message quickly and read the first few lines aloud.

 

"Dear Helias Winter, Winter King of Emain, Duke of Broken Armies, Queenslayer, the Reluctant, the Reformer, the Second of His Name," He found himself bored by the formality of it, he skipped a few lines, and found that it was a pleasant letter from Legate Aelia Vatinious of all people.

 

That name brought him back about five years, the vision of a woman who was like a deific personification of war, in both the horrors of it and in how it united people. Her face was seared into his memories, the scarred flesh that she refused to have healed, the woman who boasted that it was proof of her victories.

 

He read the letter carefully. "I would very much like to attend the Gathering of Nobility, and I would love to catch up for I have heard many things about your reign, and I want to confirm them myself." He muttered as he read it. The penmanship was unmistakable, it was precise and graceful, flowing. He then looked at how she signed it "Regards, Aelia Vatinious Squallentes, Legate of Legio IX, Equiteinferos." He sighed to himself, he would never understand why someone would name a legion that, even if it was an all tiefling legion.

 

Helias wasn't entirely sure what to think, considering that she was a Legate, he'd have to arrange for her personal bodyguard to be housed, she might bring other family members, or might be married.

 

Helias wasn't sure why but that thought seemed to be incredibly unpleasant. He might have to look into that thought process. Though he tried to remember Imperial naming customs, it was customary for the wife to claim the husband's family name, though that was only if the husband was of a grander house than the wife, if the wife was of a greater house than it would be different. He might be misremembering something.

 

He leaned back on his chair and sighed. "I wasn't expecting that letter." He muttered to himself. His eyes drifted towards to the portrait that was commissioned at his wedding.

 

It was him and Diana. He was dressed in his ceremonial armour, it was all gold and silver, heavy as all hell but he had to admit, he looked rather dashing in it. He wasn't even a prince then, he was just Marshal Helias the Elder. Though he could see his uncontained smile in the portrait. Then there was his lovely wife, Lady Diana Firelance, who was taken from this world far too early. He had to admit, the painting did her an injustice, she was more beautiful than any artist or any paint could hope to depict.

 

Her beautiful blonde hair, like the mane of a lion, her shining grey eyes that he remembered shone with intellect. Those red lips that would be able to lull him into a conversation without end.  Her tall figure, the painter, had deliberately reduced her height for some reason. She was wearing a bright white and gold dress. She was smiling just as wide as he was.

 

He felt sad at looking at the portrait, the ghosts of the past were in the past. He got out of his chair and looked towards his harp, it was inlaid with jewels and gold, a wedding gift given to him by his father-in-law. He sat down on a stool next to it and tried to see if he could remember the notes to her favourite song.

 

His fingers ghosted over the strings of the harp as he started the melody, the melody was familiar and jogged memories within him, he began to sing clearly in his bassy voice.

_"Whose heart is it I seek?_

_One who is loving and meek_

_Truly I have been captured_

_I’m a mess in her rapture"_

 

He was sure that he might've missed a note, but he didn't mind, he remembers an image of Diana dancing. He continued singing

_"Whose voice is it I long?_

_One who speaks a lovely song_

_Truly I am mesmerized_

_By her beauty that I’ve memorized"_

 

The world seemed brighter, that song cheered him up almost as much as it cheered her up, how he had come to love her, what was once an arranged marriage had turned to an actual loving relationship.

_"The days are brighter_

_The nights are sweeter_

_Home is what she is_

_In this heart I find bliss"_

He finished the song, satisfied with himself, he was worried that he might've forgotten the words of their song.

 

Helias wasn't sure if that would've been a betrayal of her memory, would she have wanted him to go on and love after her death, or would she have wanted him to remain loyal even after her end.

 

The king supposed that it was one of the few Architect's curses, even if she would be waiting for him in the afterlife. He would never know her opinion until it was too late. But if he didn't love after her, what was one of the few points in living aside from making Acoroma better for those who would live after he died.

 

He supposed that was the Royal Proagtive though. To make the Kingdom a better place than when he left it. His reforms were helping that, though he was aware of injustices, he would be a fool not to.

 

He reflected on Emain itself, it was a beautiful kingdom, rolling fields, a bountiful harvest every year. And when he took the crown, the city of those who could breathe life into stone still existed, now it was a ruin of a town. A memorial to his brother and nephew and all those who died in the Witch Queen's War.

 

His people were more beautiful though, no matter which god they worshipped, whether it be the Old Gods of Pacajteroj, the Architect or even the Ancestor Gods of the Sea of Storms. They were all his people, he had a responsibility for them, he made their lives easier, his reforms had helped the dregs of society to better themselves.

 

He wasn't sure what to think right now. He knew that it would be all night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot claim credit for that song, because it was written by a friend of mine
> 
> Anyway, would it seriously kill you to leave a comment!? I need your feedback


	11. Sparking Feelings

**27th Day of the Rose Blooms – Dawn – Royal Arcanum – Anna Winter**

 

When Anna had asked to be given a secondary education in magic, she hadn't expected that she'd have to wake up so early. She was sure that her days of waking up so early were long behind her, that was the sort of things that she did as a teenager.

 

She was dressed in a less impressive outfit than she usually wore, instead of a court dress, she was wearing a requested pair of dark brown breeches and a somewhat billowy white tunic.

 

Sitting down nearby was the Good Countess, who was drinking a cup of tea as she considered something. Anna always wondered what it would be like to sit in the Royal Arcanum all day and she had now come to the conclusion that it must be awful. Aside from the stink, the room generally felt stuffy.

 

"Countess, could you please teach me." Anna asked, looking at Elizabeth as she leaned back in her chair and took another leisurely sip of her tea.

 

"Okay then, try and conjure up a ball of lightning." Elizabeth requested. Placing the cup and saucer on a nearby table.

 

That seemed to be easy enough. Anna closed her eyes and began to focus upon the world as she-

 

"No, I didn't mean like that," Elizabeth said, interrupting Anna's concentration. "Do it with your eyes open."

 

"But I can't focus properly with them open," Anna responded, she wasn't that good at magic, but she assumed that it would be easy enough.

 

"Well, then you'd be dead if you ever use magic in a fight. Focusing with open eyes is easy." Elizabeth got up "Watch." She cracked her knuckles

 

The room suddenly went cold, and it looked like a gust of wind had started to buffet Elizabeth's robes. From what Anna could see, the Good Countess' eyes were glowing slightly. Her arms began to be surrounded by thick, bright blue, almost vine-like, lines of lightning as the air around her crackled. Anna wasn't entirely sure how one attained such power, but she was determined to find out.

 

She held her arms out in front of her and lightning coursed through them and between them. And then in a flash, it vanished. Leaving only a small amount of static in the air. Though the room still felt a little cold.

 

"You see how it is done. Now see if you can do it." She commanded.

 

Anna held her arms out in front of her and breathed in deeply as she focused on the world around her, and how she could enforce her will upon it. Lightning started to crackle between her fingertips as she began to summon it into the world.

 

She put more effort into it as the lightning started to take the shape of a small ball. It wasn't much, but it was a start. She figured that she couldn't do the normal stuff that the Good Countess was able to do. So she tried to keep it small and containable.

 

"Good now, dispell it." Elizabeth commanded

 

Anna focused on the lightning and with some effort managed to cause it to vanish. She might've spent a bit too much time in the library yesterday reading about how to dispell magic.

 

Anna looked towards Elizabeth with a hopeful look on her face. The Countess' face was stone though her eyes reflected a small amount of disappointment. "At least you're not completely hopeless."

 

"What didn't you like?" Anna asked, knowing that it was a stupid question.

 

"Basically everything, the speed, or lack thereof, with which you conjured such a pitiful ball of lightning, and the amount of energy you expended when both creating and dispelling it." She sighed heavily, "Though not everyone starts as a master. We shall have to start from the ground up. Focusing on your dispelling, you seemed to have the most trouble with it."

 

Anna wasn't sure to be happy that Elizabeth realised that not everyone has their lives devoted to the study of magic or sad that Elizabeth was basically treating her like a small child. "Okay, then how do you begin."

 

"Well, it's simple, magic is enforcing your will upon the world," Elizabeth conjured a small ball of fire without even pausing. "as such dispelling is the exact same." she explained as she snapped her fingers and the ball of flame disappeared. "You focus your will on removing the magic."

 

Anna paused at how little of an explanation that was, she supposed that Elizabeth might not be used to explaining things. She focused on creating a small ball of electricity again.

 

She focused on making her will manifest in the world. A smallish ball of lightning started to take form in her hand. She then tried to focus on the orb and caused it to disappear as she closed her hand around it.

 

"A rather crude technique, though I will give you praise for the speed of it." Elizabeth appraised, "Well done." It was evident to everyone that the Good Countess wasn't a good teacher.

 

"Explain to me how you got your magic to such a level," Anna asked, "You basically dwarf all my attempts without even trying."

 

"Practice, lots and lots of practice and a natural aptitude towards it," Elizabeth explained without really explaining anything. "Focus on your magic."

 

"Okay..." Anna responded, sounding unsure.

 

"I don't mean to pretend to focus I mean, I mean to shut out the world around you until all that is there is just you and your will." She explained without really explaining it.

 

Anna tried to understand what the Countess meant. She focused, truly focused, shutting out the putrid aroma of the Arcanum, she silenced her mind and all of her doubts.

 

Her will was all that mattered as she created an orb of fire, it started as a few sparks but grew and grew as she focused upon it. It was at roughly the size of her intellect, which was about two fists. She was impressed by what she was able to do. Though she did feel somewhat strained by the power of the spell.

 

She then tried to dispell it again, to smother the fire that she had created with her will. She focused on it, how was she supposed to rule if she couldn't even control a fireball?

 

She felt the magic disappear before her as Elizabeth looked rather displeased "Your potential to cast a spell far outmatches your control." She said grumpily. "Though I'm curious, why are you learning magic now of all times. You've never shown an interest in it before."

 

"Ah well..." Anna began to explain, there wasn't really any way she could pass it off as a new interest. Sure, there was an interest, though the utility it would have against Darian was also part of her reason for learning it.

 

"Don't think I haven't heard for the upcoming duel with my nephew," Elizabeth said, a dark tone in her voice. "I'm not deaf nor blind. I have no doubt that His Majesty has heard of it as well."

 

"Uh...." Anna responded eloquently as she tried to think of a response. "That's true."

 

Elizabeth's face seemed to lighten "Good, Darian needed a good ass-kicking anyway." She laid a hand on Anna's shoulder. "So let's go through this again."

 

Anna felt a bit more confident about the fact that Elizabeth was actually approving of Anna's use for magic. "Okay then."

 

"Now, I'm assuming that you aren't focusing on dispelling magic and more on sending it outwards." Elizabeth said

 

"Yes. I only really planned to make use of the magic as a weapon against your nephew." Anna said, "Though I've had an interest in it, it's just that I've realised that it would be useful against him."

 

"That's smart." Elizabeth responded, "Even if I am a little disappointed that the main reason you are learning magic is for violence." There was a look of disdain on her face.

 

"Then why did you learn magic?" Anna asked she was curious about that.

 

"Magic can be used to save lives and to serve man." Elizabeth answered simply, "His Majesty learned magic for the sole purpose of healing. To save lives." She looked at her right hand as a few sparks danced between them, "I learned magic because it was what I was good at. The Architect put magic on this world to serve the mortal races." She sighed "Though it is the way of the mortals to find ways of speeding up our inevitable demise."

 

"I'm guessing you don't like teaching me magic then, seeing as I plan to use it for harm?" Anna asked.

 

"No, it is often necessary to learn how to do harm and to defend oneself, I'd only hope that you also learn to heal wounds. Whether they be literal or wounds within society."

 

Anna considered it. "I promise when the duel is over, I will come to learn the healing arts from you." She promised.

 

"I'll hold you to it." Elizabeth said. "Now. Practice again," She snapped "make sure that you can match your dispelling capabilities to your potential!"

**27th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Silk and Steel – Apprentice Natalie**

 

Preparing Robyn's special request dress was proving to be a longer and more stressful process than initially thought. Turns out that when Robyn said 'short' she meant just barely at her thighs and then Robyn was insistent that the dress was backless as well.

 

It was at least helpful that Robyn could offer ideas on how it looked, most people, when it came down to custom orders, just shouted vague criticism. "So where exactly do you plan to wear this dress?" Natalie asked as she finalised some of the measurements and was fitting it to the body of the outlander

 

"I have a few ideas." Robyn answered vaguely "I'm thinking the Gathering of Nobility." She added. Natalie imagined Robyn in such a dress, dancing with the stuffy noblemen, she was sure that there would be a few noblemen who would give up their right hands for that.

 

Natalie struggled to contain a giggle "You'd cause quite the stir there, most of the lords wouldn't be able to keep their eyes off you." She added. There was a reason why Robyn was one of her favourite customers, and one of those was that she was fun to talk to.

 

"Well let them stare at what they won't be able to attain." Robyn responded, "Besides I have a particular person in mind with this dress."

 

Natalie sensed a story as she cut off a small piece of unnecessary fabric stitched something together. "Oh do tell, which nobleman do you plan to ensnare with such a piece of clothing?" She asked

 

"Well, you might know her." Robyn responded, "She's one of your patrons." She added. There was quite a lot of mirth in her voice, though her eyes had a bit of fear within them. Natalie realised that she had assumed that Robyn planned for a male lover and immediately mentally chastised herself.

 

"You mean to tell me..." Natalie began, she was putting together all that she had seen, the little glances here and there, and the fact that Robyn was the Princess' first handmaiden "You're in love with your boss?"

 

Robyn groaned at that "Don't say it like that, it makes it sound cliche. I prefer to say, the woman I love is Anna Winter. A wonderful woman who happens to the Princess" She said.

 

"Why exactly are you in love with her?" Natalie asked. She herself felt those feelings for both men and women, though because she had only figured it out recently, she found the fact that two women could fall in love with each other as odd.

 

"Why wouldn't I? She's brilliant, her eyes are more precious than all the gemstones in the world, her laugh is like a heavenly choir." Natalie didn't know what the word heavenly meant, but she assumed it was similar to angelic. "She cared for me when she didn't have to. I could've been thrown outside the second I was found to be innocent, but she gave me a job when she didn't have to."

 

Natalie smiled at this, she could understand this quite well, love, that one thing that so many people spent their lives looking for and that thing that made people do such stupid things. She loved hearing about people who had fallen in love. "She is wonderful." She said simply

 

"More than wonderful, she gives me grounding in a world that doesn't make any sense. I honestly have no idea what I did to deserve it." Robyn said, her face beaming

 

"You existed," Natalie offered "From what I've seen, Her Highness has never been happier than since you appeared," She remembered seeing Anna a few times before Robyn had appeared, they called her Anna the Mourning Princess.

 

"She's happier ever since I've been-" Robyn paused as she processed that. "Really?" she looked at herself "She really could've found someone different to cheer her up."

 

"Yeah, but she chose you." Natalie responded, "So why exactly do you need this dress anyway?" Looking at the amount of skin it showed

 

"It helps me be more confident and to be honest, the court dresses are stuffy." She responded "It's nothing against you, it's just that court is in general stuffy. But, the dress that you are making, in the style of my homeland, that is wonderful, and it makes me feel lighter."

 

"So wait, do people normally wear this in your homeland?" Natalie asked, trying to imagine what it might be like there. It would have to be really warm for that.

 

"No. This is more for when some girls want to dance at the bars. I can't think of a person who wears this every day." Robyn answered, "A lot of the formal stuff would require me to wear a dress that goes below my goddamn knees,"

 

"So wait how is courtship done in your homeland?" Natalie asked she was interested

 

"Well..." Robyn shifted "Define courtship. For some it's a slow dance, for others they are encouraged to fall hard and fast." She sighed "In most cases, we're encouraged to look at marriage as the big thing to move towards."

**27th Day of the Rose Blooms – Noon – Council Chambers – Anna Winter**

 

Anna wasn't sure why she had been called to the Council Chambers again; actually, she could probably fathom a few reasons, most of which sounded like a duel.

 

She was still wearing her breeches and tunic from earlier, though she had at this point, placed a cloak over it. So she was sitting in the seat of the Council Chambers that was usually reserved for the heir to the throne, officially, it was for the 'Advisor without Portfolio', but in actuality, it was for the Heir to the Throne to learn how the state operates for later years.

 

Sitting in his seat, was her father. With a pensive look on his face as he started to consider what exactly he was planning on saying. "Anna, do you remember your mother?" He asked.

 

"A little bit, I just remember her silver eyes and her blonde hair," Anna answered truthfully, her mother had passed when Anna was five years old. "Why do you ask?" She was wondering, this line of questioning usually meant a few things

 

"I'm considering marrying again." He answered, looking her dead in the eyes. "I loved your mother, and there's nothing I could ever do to change that, but I recognise that it might be time to move on." He explained.

 

Anna was struggling to say something, "I remember you telling me that you wouldn't ever marry again that you couldn't bear the thought of another woman in your bed." Anna finally got out, usually, when noblemen married, it was to young noblewomen who were younger than Anna was.

 

"I was awake last night, and I prayed to whichever god would care to listen." Helias began, that bit didn't surprise her, while he preferred to trust his head, when he prayed he merely said it was to whichever god was out there. "And I came to the conclusion that Diana wouldn't have wanted me to be lonely in my old age. You are my first born daughter, nothing I could do would change that, and you are my heir."

 

"Yeah, until the new harlot bares you a son, and then I'm out of the picture." Anna responded, there was some bitterness in her voice, she didn't like that antiquated law that the son would inherit over an older daughter.

 

"I don't plan to marry a younger woman." Helias corrected "I have been informed that one Legate Aelia Vatinious Squallentes will be coming to the Gathering of the Nobility." he said. Anna didn't know that name to save her life, she recognised the rank of Legate as a position in the Imperial Army, but that was about all she knew.

 

"Who exactly is this Aelia?" Anna asked, "Am I supposed to remember her?" The name might've rung a bell, but it wasn't doing much

 

"You remember during the War?" Helias asked rhetorically, Anna didn't need to request clarification, she knew which war he was talking about. "I managed to secure support from a full Imperial Legion, Aelia was the leader of said legion. You might remember her, she had those burn marks across her face."

 

The mention of the burn marks reminded Anna quite well, she was only eighteen at the time and still overcome with grief over the death of her Cousin. She was a strong woman, who stood proudly in the strange garb of the Kingdom's Eastern Neighbours. Moreover, Anna remembered the face of the woman, blind in one eye and with half of her face being charred by fire, she cast a cutting image. "So you're marrying an old friend?" She asked

 

"Well, it hasn't been finalised yet, but I am planning on courting her and seeing if there is mutual interest at the Gathering," Helias responded crisply "So it is possible. Though if she shows no interest, I will not pursue a relationship."

 

Anna felt that since her father was getting everything out in the open, that she would need to come clean as well. "Well, father, now that you mention it, I've become interested in someone at the Court." She began, not entirely sure of how to phrase this.

 

Helias laughed "You're barely at Court. But continue." He coughed and motioned for her to continue

 

"I've become interested in one of the newest additions to the Court." Anna continued, Helias already knew that she wasn't interested in men, but she wasn't sure how he might feel about her liking other women "She's bright, funny and pretty and makes me feel lighter." Anna summarised

 

"I had meant to ask you about that." Helias said, "You've been looking happier than you have been for five years."

 

"You mean you're not surprised about me liking women?" Anna asked with hope coming into her voice

 

"My brother preferred men. One of the Bronzewing sisters was disowned for liking women. I'm a bit surprised, but I know that love is love, it's capable of driving people to extremes, but I can't fault you for it." Helias explained, Anna knew about her uncle, but she didn't know that one of the Bronzewing sisters liked women. "It's surprisingly common."

 

"Thank you so much, father." Anna said, joy within her voice as she realised that her father approved of her. "But don't you want to know who she is?"

 

"I know that it's Robyn Lancaster." Helias answered, "You think I wouldn't notice that she's the only handmaiden you have and that started to be happier when she showed up." Helias responded, "It didn't take a genius, hells, I think even Lord Bellerose in his limited wisdom could probably spot it."

 

"But I'm not sure if she likes me back," Anna responded. It was a significant problem, Robyn did do a rather unconvincing explanation for that incident, but Anna was not sure if it was gratitude, love or lust that drove Robyn. She wasn't sure if it was a sign of friendly affection, she had no idea about the Outlander's home society and how they showed signs of friendship.

 

"Well, about that." Helias began as he seemed to recall something "I remember stumbling across Robyn in the Royal Library one night, and I remember her saying to herself that she was 'not falling in love'," he put the phrase around air quotes, "She wasn't aware of my presence until I asked her about it. She denied everything about it."

 

That revelation brought both hope and despair to Anna's heart, she had seen Robyn flirting with Natalie before, but at the same time, she had listened to Robyn flirting with her. Who did Robyn love, and why was she so reluctant to fall in love.

 

She then remembered something that Robyn had previously told her before, she was disowned by her family, presumably for loving another girl, that would likely make her quite reluctant to matters of the heart.

**27th Day of the Rose Blooms –  Early Afternoon – Anna's Room – Anna Winter**

Anna was somewhat nervous about inviting Robyn over to her room, it had only been a few days since the incident where Anna noticed just how hypnotising that Robyn's emerald eyes where.

 

The afternoon sun was shining through the open windows of Anna's chambers, casting the room in an inviting and comforting light. The dark fabric of her room absorbed the light that touched it.

 

She hadn't dressed in her court dress right about now and was still wearing the breeches and tunic. Anna made sure to tie the red ribbon in her hair for luck. She had to work on making sure that her breathing was steady, this occasion would be beautiful and romantic and allow her to figure out what Robyn was really thinking.

 

The woman in question stepped through the door uncertainly. She was wearing her black breeches, black boots, greyish tunic and black vest again. Her hair was somewhat frazzled, but to Anna, she looked pretty. It didn't exactly help that her pale skin almost seemed to glow in the afternoon light. "Anna, why'd you call...." She asked, her voice trailing off as her eyes obviously trailed up Anna's form, which was highlighted by her choice of clothing. Her cheeks became a bright shade of red.

 

"Yes, Robyn?" Anna asked, breaking the pale girl out of her concentration. She had to admit, she was slightly amused by this, watching Robyn lose her composure was fun, especially when Anna knew that she was the reason for such an occurrence.

 

Robyn coughed, and her blush still stayed, but she seemed to be trying to keep her composure. "Well, I was wondering why you called me to this room?"

 

"Well, I wanted to spend some quality time with you," Anna stated truthfully, though there was an ulterior motive, but Robyn didn't need to know that. "And I wanted to complete reading The Witch and The Maiden with you as well."

 

Robyn seemed to chuckle at that "You need me to decipher how obviously gay the two characters who have been trapped together in the same house are." She said as a grin appeared on her face. "Well, this'll be fun." She walked up to loveseat and sat down upon it. A smug grin on her face.

 

Anna grabbed her bookmarked copy of The Witch and The Maiden and sat up next to Robyn, and got quite close to the outlander, making sure not to get too close, but close enough that she might consider wrapping an arm around her and drawing her in.

 

"Why do you say that they are obviously gay?" Anna asked, wondering if Robyn could tell.

 

"Because there are multiple bedrooms in this old abandoned house that belongs to the Witch and they both insist on sharing the bed, not to mention the Witch's interior monologue referring to the Maiden's 'shapely legs' and her 'pretty, pretty eyes'." Robyn rattled off, with a matter of fact tone in her voice.

 

"Well then, what about the Maiden?" Anna responded, the Maiden, Angel, was described in the book to be a girl of 'High Innocence and great beauty, with long shapely legs and pretty sapphire eyes', but it was the Witch that was more fun to Anna.

 

"The Maiden insisted on sleeping in the same bed as the Witch despite having met her literally an hour prior. In her interior monologue, she continually remarks on the Witch's 'strong arms that make me feel safe', the Witch's 'slender teardrop-shaped face and her beautiful almond eyes' and not to mention her 'Long, shapely body with lightly toned muscles.'" Robyn listed off like it was second knowledge to her "Totally gay."

 

Anna had to concede on that point, the Witch, Xie, was a woman of Anlu origins, described in the book as 'A woman who never breaks a promise if she can help it, but cunning as a fox'. Now that Anna thinks about, she was wondering if a good half of the things said about Anlu culture in this book was a lie, like most of the knowledge about the Sea of Storms comes from The Daring Tales of Lord Illiad.

 

"So anyway...." Robyn said, moving out of the conversation about the main character's already apparent sexuality, "When we last left off, The Witch was telling us about her tragic backstory that made her take up Witchcraft." She opened the book and held it in front of Anna, "You do the honours, Anna."

 

Anna cleared her throat, _"Xie looked up at me, her hazel eyes glistening in the low light of her ruined, abandoned, wreck of a house, I often wondered how many nights she would spend with nothing but her thoughts and spells in here. The answer was probably most of them, "Do you want to know why I took up Witchcraft, do you really want to know?" she asked, her voice was without mirth."_

_"I looked into those eyes and gripped the left side of her face with my hand, feeling the warmth of her skin upon mine, "I would love nothing more than to know, and you deserve redemption before you even deny it." I said to her, with compassion in my voice"_ Robyn said, reading out the Maiden's voice with an overly dramatic tone in her voice.

_"Her face flushed as she felt my hand, which she gripped with her own as she breathed out "Thank you, Angel, I was just a little Anlu girl, living in a small coastal village, it was a peaceful life, I was just discovering my magical talent." Xie was trusting me with this much information, and it was so satisfying "Everything changed when a group of Yuna Raiders attacked the village, they killed anyone who tried to fight, captured those who didn't and took anything of value. I was so .... angry, furious pissed off, enraged that I summoned up a storm of magic from within me, I don't remember much, I just remember hot burning fire, both the fire with within me and the fire around me." She looked at me "I passed out and found myself under the care of a soldier, when I was told what had happened, I swore that I would get revenge on those raiders, no matter what it took."_

_"I looked at her, ignoring how warm her hands felt, an saw how her eyes were misting up "So, you don't remember what happened to your village?" I asked her, concerned."_

 

 _"She laughed "You probably think that I'm a monster, don't you? I tried to learn the martial arts so that I could seek revenge with steel and flame. But that didn't work, I wasn't strong enough to wield a sword in combat. I had to the discipline and the talent with magic, but it wasn't enough, to seek vengeance became my obsession and my only reason for living. I sold my soul to a demon in exchange for power and knowledge for where the raiders were." Her wonderful face frowned "I dragged them straight down to whichever hell was best for them. I know that the last thing I'm going to see is that grinning red demon claiming me for eternal torment." She sniffled."_ Anna read out dramatically, noticing how she was snuggling up with Robyn.

_"I wanted so much to claim those ruby red lips, "You can still claim your soul back, we can loosen the demon's grip on your soul." I claimed to her."_

_"She laughed at that "The gods, whether they be the Ancestors, the Old Gods and the Architect doesn't care for me. The celestials only care for my potential, but the second I talked to a demon, I was damned." She claimed. "I heard that there's only one method of stopping a being's grip on your soul." She volunteered."_

_"I was confused, never hearing of those methods "Well, tell me about them, have you found what it is?" I asked her, despite my better thought processes, I was starting to fall for her."_

_"She flushed pure red and then moved closer to me and pressed her lips up to mine. I was flabbergasted, was she tempting me? Did she know of my feelings for her and wanted to torment me?"_

_"I felt my face go flush as I struggled to think of what I could say, though she was leaning into the kiss, I eventually didn't kiss her back, wondering what she was playing at. She eventually leaned back with her eyes seemed to be misting over heavily. "What exactly was that?" I asked her eventually, probably more angry than I initially wanted to seem."_

_"She looked crestfallen, "Looks like that wasn't going to work." She shrugged "Guess you can't fault a girl for trying," she said, there was heavy misery in her voice, and I was sure that I saw a tear fall down her face."_

_"This was all part of her plan? "What do you mean?" I asked her as I tried to think about what she was doing, or what was going on in that wonderful head."_

 

_"She sniffled "I heard that a method of loosening the grip a being has on your soul is through love," She crept a little bit forward "You see when you find someone you love immensely, even if it's platonically, you forge a destiny for yourself, one that is part yours and part theirs. In doing so, you sort of alter your soul as well." She explained without explaining it "Ancestors above, I'm rambling, just go and take your pick of beds, I need to work something out." She said to me, with tears threatening to fall out."_

_"I did the only thing I could think of, I loved her after all, and as such, I closed my eyes and kissed her deeply on the lips."_

 

Anna blushed at Robyn who was really into reading it and also at the text itself.

 

"ANNA, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, IT TOOK AT LEAST TWELVE CHAPTERS, BUT THEY FINALLY KISSED!" Robyn screamed into Anna's ear as she was so excited "I LOVE MY LITTLE BABIES!" Robyn then coughed as she realised what she was doing "Oh, I'm sorry about that. I tend to get excited." she said as she apologised.

 

"No, I think that it was rather cute that you got so excited," Anna said, as she realised what she had said. A second passed, and Robyn was silent. Anna looked up at Robyn to see that she was blushing like a tomato and was emitting a high pitched squealing sound like reminded Anna of a steaming kettle.

 

"Cute?" She asked with an incredibly high pitch voice, her face still resembling a tomato and Anna was sure she could see smoke come out of her ears as she processed that.

 

A small part of her wanted to give Robyn a nice peck on the lips, though she decided instead to give her a kiss on the cheek. It would leave Robyn to be nicely flustered and adorable.

 

Though of course, she planned to sleep with her, not in a sexual way, just because she wanted to know just how well it felt to be in her arms now that she knew of her feelings.

 

"Anyway, let's continue on, shall we?" Anna asked, looking at the book again, "It was just after the two lovebirds had kissed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter was a joy to write. And it was Beta'd by the people on the Writer's Discord.


	12. Plot Advancements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> General Trigger Warning in this chapter for the scenes with Apprentice Natalie.

**28th Day of the Rose Blooms – Dawn – Dungeons – Fredrick Proudsong**

 

Fredrick Proudsong loved his job sometimes.

 

Sure having to balance loyalty to his Kingdom to that of his family was something that wanted him to see exactly how far his agents would be willing to follow his commands and see how willing they would be to kill him...

 

But it was days like this that left him as smug as all the demons in the hells. Though he also felt a little disappointed. His agents had successfully captured Lord Stone, but Edward was apparently nowhere to be found. Honestly, it was a little bit disappointing that Edward was hiding behind younger nobility yet again. Had the old traitor thought of any other methods of hiding?

 

Fredrick kept an ear out as he rushed towards the dungeon. The sound of his footfalls echoing throughout the winding hallways as the biting cold of the chilly air left him huddled up for warmth. When he arrived at the occupied cell, he stopped, peering into the gloom. Kneeling, huddled, with one wrist clasped in irons hanging from the bars was the young nobleman, Renford Stone. He was nearly naked, without jacket or shirt to protect against the elements--it was clear that he was abducted just as he was getting dressed.

 

While he couldn't fault them on their opportunism, he wished they’d give the poor man some damned clothes.

 

Fredrick frowned, noticing something odd. Grabbing a nearby lantern, he pulled it close, letting the warm amber light pool into the cell. Yes, it was a wound. A large gash into his chest. Looking a bit closer, he could see that his skin looked dryer, older than he expected someone as young as Renford.

 

Not to mention that his somewhat tanned skin looked like it had patches of paler skin, typically found on members of House Bronzewing or Proudsong, or Northmen. And Fredrick knew that there was no unaccounted for Proudsongs.

 

So that left two possibilities, Bronzewing agent, possibly an undiscovered bastard, or a Northern spy. Both were quite disturbing, Fredrick doubted that Edward would be trying to anything alone. 

 

Actually, this was Edward the Overly Ambitious, after all, he hadn't used his head twenty years ago, and Fredrick doubted if Edward would start now. If he did, he would've done the Kingdom and everyone in it a favour and just stayed in whichever hole he lived in to finally die, like he should’ve done twenty years ago.

 

So that actually presented three possibilities, Renford was either an agent of House Bronzewing as a whole, a spy of one of the Northern Kingdoms or one of Edward's pawns. Though if he was a pawn, that left a big question: Where was the King and who was the rest of the set? Edward wasn't foolhardy enough to go in with one pawn, or was the dementia finally kicking in and robbing Fredrick of the satisfaction of beating Edward at a competent plot.

 

It probably said a lot about the spymaster that the thing that was causing the most emotional reaction within him was the idea that Edward had finally caught dementia and was incapable of plotting all that well anymore.

 

He coughed loudly in order to get the attention of the kneeling form of Renford Stone. When the young lord didn't respond, Fredrick slammed on one of the metal bars harshly. The young lord awoke with a start, pulling on his manacles, Fredrick was sure that he saw the lord try to cast magic, with pitiful sparks coming from his fingertips.

 

"That won't work here my friend." The spymaster responded, a smug tone in his voice. "You honestly think that I haven't planned for that?" He asked, because honestly planning for mages was the most basic form of dungeon planning. The lord appeared to be attempting to calm himself, though Fredrick doubted such attempts would work.

 

"I have to admit, I was hoping that you didn't." Renford responded, his voice a tenor pitch.

 

He sounded so calm as well, almost mechanically so. Fredrick wanted to hand it to the younger noble, he seemed to at least be in good control of his emotions.

 

"So I know this is a stupid question, but don't suppose you feel like letting me go? I've got a lunch date with the Lady Sophia Rosewood." He continued with that fake suave tone of his. The spymaster felt himself get dumber at such a plead. Honestly, at least most of them pretended to be married to get out of the dungeon.

 

Letting a small chuckle escape his lips, Fredrick replied. "Unfortunately, I don't believe a word of that. Secondly, I can't let you go." He paused, making it look like he had a thought on his mind. "Actually perhaps you can answer some questions for me. I want just want one piece of information: Who's your master? If you answer that, you can be on that date."

 

Fredrick meant to sound nice. He truly did. But he knew how little favours his appearance did for him in that regard, so he probably sounded slimier than a swamp. 

 

"Ummm..." the noble trailed off, like he was making it plainly evident that he did not care for such a proposal. "Not entirely sure what you want me to say. I think my master would be The Architect." he said with a somewhat intentional stupid tone in his voice. "I answered your question at least, can you let me go?" He asked, shaking his shackled right wrist.

 

"I don't think I can do that." Fredrick said "You see, I don't have the keys on me, so I think you're going to stay here for a while longer." Truth be told, he did have his keys, but he still hadn’t gotten what he wanted yet, so he supposed the little boy would have to wait a moment longer. "Though I'm curious so could you perhaps indulge me?"

 

Renford gave him an intense look, and once again, Fredrick was wondering where he knew those eyes from. There were from his past, but he couldn't quite place where. "No. I don't feel like indulging you, I answered your question, so you can burn in all the hells imaginable." Renford growled. A split second later, and his face returned to neutral and that tenor tone returned.. "Have any other dumb requests?"

 

Fredrick knew that the easiest way to get a prisoner talking was to be nice, but to remind them who had all the power. "Listen here, 'Lord' Renford Stone. As far as the outside world is concerned: you are dead. You do not exist as long as you are in here. Everyone will soon forget you as you rot away in my cell." he said forcefully. "I hold all the power here. When I say 'jump' you ask 'how high?' When I say 'dance', you--"

 

"Don't do anything, because I'm chained to a fucking bar," Renford snapped sarcastically. "Honestly, did you find that speech in a bad play?"

 

Fredrick’s jaw tightened, frustration building. Fine, you want to play like that…

 

Taking a deep breath, he closed his icy blue eyes and concentrated--feeling the ebbs and flows of the imperfect world around him. When his eyes opened, they were positively glowing in the gloom. With a mental command, the flickering shadows around the boy began to solidify, wrapping tightly around the annoying, self-righteous, arrogant brat, hungry to crush and consume him entirely.

 

Renford panicked, feeling the crushing sensation around him, and yelped in pain as his ribcage began to strain under the pressure. In an instant, Fredrick stopped--not for mercy's sake, but because in that split second, Renford sounded surprisingly deep voiced. Quickly covering his curiosity, he loomed over the boy.

 

“See,” he began, that single word filled with venom, “this is what happens when you don’t indulge me. Now, you’re going to tell me everything I want to know or I’ll hang you by your own entrails!”

 

"Should've known you can't take a joke, you had some dirty Anlu bitch kidnap me from my master's home," Renford said, sounding indignant and not at all phased by the threat. There was a noticeable strain to his voice, Fredrick noted with a cathartic smile, though that was to be expected what with being strangled by solidified shadow.

 

"One, I think you shall find she's one of the Yuna,” Fredrick drawled. “Two, she's a wonderful woman and you’ll treat her with respect. And three, so you are admitting that your master is Edward the Treacherous? Or am I going to have to call back the-- What did you call her again? A 'dirty Anlu bitch'? I’m sure she’d love to meet you again after I tell her your little nickname for her."

 

**28th Day of the Rose Blooms – Early Morning – Anna's Room – Robyn Lancaster**

 

Robyn was not the best at denying things to herself, after all, she had spent the better part of seventeen years of her life denying that she liked girls and then six years trying to dance around the issue. Especially insisting that she was a late bloomer. Though that brought her to her current problem:

 

Well, Robyn was reluctant to call it a problem per se, though said problem was far too pretty to easily ignore, with that long brown hair and light brown skin and well generally her everything was cute. Though Robyn believed that she would've been alright if the attraction was just physical. But when had Robyn ever be that lucky? The woman was far too generous to her and quite frankly amazing in a lot of regards.

 

Though that did not distract from the fact that she had her arms wrapped around Robyn, because of course, she was a sleepy cuddler. Though so was Robyn. Oh, gods how those arms made Robyn feel so safe and warm. Robyn took notice of her rapidly beating heart as she thought about these matters.

 

Was Anna aware that Robyn felt this way for her? Or did she think that Robyn was a good friend? Well, she supposed that she couldn't deny that she was in love.

 

That thought still scared her, she was in love. She ran down the mental checklist of feelings that were associated with that concept, her heart, of course, beat faster as a result. She loved and wanted those arms wrapped around her and to protect her. Robyn opened her eyes and saw that those lovely lips that belong to Anna looked so delicious. 

 

Yeah, she was in love, and that really made Robyn so worried, because that was something that was so easily exploitable, though she would be quite willing to wade through fire for her princess.

 

Oh, she was also a princess. Though it was sometimes easy to forget in a way.

 

Robyn was quite sure that if someone had told her even a year ago that she'd be sleeping with a princess, Robyn would've laughed them out of the goddamn country, but now, she wasn't entirely sure what to think.

 

Was this just a schoolgirl crush, or actual love? Was Anna aware and just playing with Robyn's feelings, or was she blissfully unaware? Did Robyn even want to know the answer?

 

She tried to calm her mind and stop that blush that was creeping up her face, just as Anna seemed to tighten her embrace on the now furiously blushing Robyn.

 

Robyn thought back to yesterday when Anna said she was cute, did she mean it?  Or was it a friendly compliment? Robyn decided that, due to the fact that there was no way in hell she was going to get out of bed without waking Anna, she should try to ease her mind, and started thinking about songs. 

 

Eventually, the princess stirred and said a single phrase that killed Robyn "You're so pretty when you wake up." the sentence was slurred, and Anna wasn't fully conscious when she said it, but dear gods did Robyn suddenly find out just how pink her cheeks could get.

 

This was going to be the death of her, Robyn finally decided.

 

**28th Day of Rose Blooms – Late Morning – Royal Court – Helias Winter**

 

It should probably not surprise anyone that when someone from the Empire comes into town, they tend to come in with a parade, typically complete with far too many people and grandiose displays of wealth. Which is probably why Aelia Vatinious' procession of a hundred legionnaires, apparently her personal bodyguard, was surprisingly subtle by Imperial standards.

 

Though in the Kingdom of Emain, marching with a hundred armed soldiers surrounding yourself is a way of attracting attention, often not the best kind of attention. Though Helias would've loved for a portrait of the looks on the face of the entire court when Aelia Vatinious walked in with all of the confidence and bravado that she showed five years ago.

 

She really hasn't changed a bit, well physically she has, her burns have faded slightly, though Helias doubts they'll ever fully heal, there are some lines across her face, and she generally has a wiser look in her eye.

 

Of course, she was dressed in full legionary armour, which was basically speaking full plate with a pleated skirt at the bottom and a rather tightly fitting helmet that Helias never saw Aelia wear.

 

Behind her trailed two purple tieflings dressed in legionary armour and looking like they were ready to drag someone down to the hells. Though that might be because of the fact that they, much like their legate, proudly displayed the unofficial emblem for the Equiteinferos, a blue crown, wreathed in flames. Rather unoriginal, but considering that most of their renown was from five years ago, it made sense.

 

"Lady Vatinious, it's been five years since I last saw you, where have you been?" Helias asked, "You are a sight for sore eyes."

 

"You know exactly where I've been, at Ambition's End, telling my nephews stories of the War, and listening to my mother scold me about those scars." Aelia responded, sounding rather pleased with herself "How have you been these past five years, Your Majesty?" She added, seeming to remember that she was both talking with royalty and in public at the same time. She still wasn't kneeling though, so Helias guessed that the more gossipy of the nobles would be trying to think of how to blow it out of proportions and sell it to a herald as 'news'.

 

He could almost hear the heralds right now, well at the very least they wouldn't be commenting on his daughter's ... questionable choice of handmaiden. Though considering some heralds, it wouldn't exactly be like them to stop talking about both cases.

 

"I was under the impression that you were currently off duty and not serving in the legion at this point in time?" Helias asked, as much as he was glad to see Aelia, the fact that she had a small army with her was somewhat threatening.

 

"Technically off duty, but I'm still a legate, Your Majesty," Aelia began, she paused trying to think of a way to explain this. "Besides, this is a small bodyguard by Vatinii standards," she explained that it made all the sense in Acoroma, Helias understood that he had met the Vatinii, they were quite paranoid people. But most of the nobility did not, also feeding and providing bed and board for all hundred of her bodyguard was not going to be the most pleasurable thing he's funded.

 

"Lady Vatinious, find some bed and board for your bodyguards. I shall be willing to pay for the expense." Helias responded, sounding a bit more excited than he previously did in court. "Within reason," he added, knowing that some nobles would see that as a reason to spend as much as they could.

 

Of course, though, him paying for the accommodation of a hundred foreign troops was not received all that well. Many nobles considered the fact that they would have to pay for the accommodations for their bodyguards as being an insult enough, but then to them at least, an ugly Imperial General appeared at court with no explanation.

 

It wasn't exactly helped by the fact that she marched into court in full armour, something that only guards and knights had the right to do. Helias noticed a few panting guards fill into the Court Room, with all the subtlety of a person trying to ignore that they were on fire.

 

Well, at the very least it would be less dull, though Helias was not looking forward to the angry letters from the nobility that are going to be composed and sent to him by the morning.

 

**28th Day of the Rose Blooms – Early Afternoon – Training Yard – Anna Winter**

 

Anna had heard of specific methods by which a mage could add magic to their blade, she had read through some of the processes in the book that she had, but for the most part, she didn't really understand it. From what she had heard, it was supposed to be a result of the mage focusing their will upon the blade itself, though she didn't really know how that would work.

 

Magic was very confusing to the Princess before she had started to study it, now that she was being tutored in it, the subject became even more confusing to her. Anna knew that she didn' fully understand magic, how to make her will manifest upon the world. 

 

Taking a deep breath, Anna began to block out distractions and focus on the cold steel in her hand, her Longsword, Courage, how she adored the work on the blade. But try as she might, she couldn't really think of how exactly that would work, imposing her will upon empty air was easier than working with live steel.

 

She gripped her longsword in two hands and started to practise with it, the fact that she lacked a shield for this style necessitated making use of more aggressive methods. 

 

Considering that she was going to have to be playing Darian at his own game in swordplay, so she knew that she was going to have to practice fighting with someone with a bastard sword, of course, there were a few knights that were training, and some of them were giving her odd looks.

 

She looked eyes with a well known, and somewhat older knight, Ser Leon the Immortal, clad in his signature black scale armour. Training with some poor recruit knight, Ser Victor of House Dawnfire.  Anna considered getting some training from him. 

 

Resting Courage on her shoulder, Anna started to walk up to Leon. Her half-plate armour shining in the afternoon sun. Admittedly, that wasn't much of a statement, most of the knights here were training in either full armour or at the very least, wearing some lighter variant.

 

"Excuse me, Ser Leon." Anna began, mentally cursing herself for her voice wavering slightly. Leon disarmed Victor easily and then turned around to see Anna.

 

The Princess always found that Leon's face was viscerally disturbing to her, the fact that he had what could be considered an attractive face, where it not for the fact that he looked like he had a fist fight with a bear. Noticing who had called his name, he bowed his head, which was, as far as he was concerned, the highest sign of respect you were like to get from him if you hadn't beat him in a fight. "Your Highness," he said, voice full of mirth "What can I do for you?"

 

Anna was thinking of a good way to phrase her request "Could you teach me a few two-handed sword techniques?" she asked, hating how poor she was at asking this, it was like Robyn's awkwardness was rubbing off on her. Oh Architect, it probably was.

 

Leon looked at Ser Victor "You, fetch me a longsword, Her Highness wants to learn how to use it." he ordered. Dismissing the knight like he was a squire or a mere servant. Victor ran off, his pride in tatters and Leon looked Anna up and down, sizing her up. "Show me your stance," he commanded, and Anna obeyed his voice and tone reminding the Princess of her old fencing teacher.

 

Her stance was a mixture of old teaching and her own embedded instincts. Her right foot was in front of her left, she held the longsword in two hands, with it resting close to her shoulder.  Anna had to admit, she didn't fully remember most of the lessons.

 

Leon paced around her, it was at this time that Anna noticed that he was holding a quarterstaff. He used the staff to fix perceived faults in Anna's stance. Adjusting the spacing between her feet and how high she was holding the sword, as well as her back. Eventually, he stood in front of her, holding his quarterstaff like a spear.

 

"Now that you can hold the blade properly, let's see how well you can use it." he said, "Land a hit on me." there was plenty of confidence in his voice.

 

"You are aware that this is sharp steel?" Anna asked, not really wanting to harm him. He nodded, and Anna decided that it would be on his head if he wanted it like that.

 

She surged forward, using her greater mobility to her advantage, her sword scything downwards. The blade met air as he danced around her. The staff slammed into her back, knocking her forwards. "I was under the impression that Lord Stonefist had actually taught you something worthwhile." he walked past her and got back into his stance again. "Though, I might've been wrong."

 

Anna recovered her balance and turned around and recovered her guard. Moving carefully, she wondered exactly how she was going to approach this. She slashed forward with her longsword, stepping into the swing, he dodged out of the way and jabbed at her with the quarterstaff. Anna barely parried the edge of the staff.

 

Moving inside the range of the staff as she parried it. Anna lunged forward with Courage. This was the chance to finally get a hit on him. The edge of the sword met with air.

 

Leon the Immortal was right next to her. "You focused too much, and didn't notice me moving out of the way," he explained. Victor had finally retrieved a longsword of Leon, who threw the quarterstaff and took the blunted longsword. Holding it in one hand, he spun the sword in his hand and held it out towards Anna, "Let's see if you can keep up." he said. 

 

He surged forward, his sword striking like a rain of blunted steel, with Anna barely being able to parry the strikes and having to quickly give ground to avoid getting her face readjusted.

 

He locked swords with Anna, causing the two to be in a contest of strength, one that Anna was sorely losing as she just did not have the same raw power as Leon, "You're keeping up alright." he said. He moved to the side, maintaining the intensity, he introduced his elbow to Anna's face. Knocking her to the ground, though Anna was too busy trying to not focus on the pain from that. "We can work with that." He said, holding out a hand to allow Anna to get up.

 

Anna accepted the hand and tried to figure out where she went wrong. She followed through on her strikes, but rarely any of them hit, Leon moved like the wind. He was as strong as a giant as well. 

 

"Okay let's work on your forms," Leon said, holding his longsword out in what was a classic two-handed form. Sword held forward, guarding the chest and head, arms bent and held at an angle for multiple different strikes and guards to be made with rapid speed. "Stand next to me and mirror what I am doing."

 

Anna complied and started to mirror his stances, she remembered how she was trained by Lord Stonefist, his methods wear cruel and not all that effective, but this style of teaching she could understand. Maybe it was because she was older now, or perhaps because danger didn't seem as distant as it did when she was taught.

 

Courage shined in the sun, it's sharp edge glinting in the afternoon light as Anna tried to ignore the lingering pain on her nose, at this stage, it felt less like a red hot pain and more like a smouldering burn.

 

Leon changed his form, adjusting his grip on the sword so that the flat of it faced upwards and tightening his form, like a coiled spring or a cobra ready to strike. Anna changed to mirror him as well taking into account the confident way he held the blade, how it would be at the throat level of the average man. 

 

Leon was incredible in many people's eyes, he was the man who did not so much flirt with death and more openly slept with him instead. He seemed so strong, the sort of person who might get frustrated about training a rank amateur like Anna. But here he was, teaching her basic longsword guards just because she wanted it. Though Anna suspected that might be due to her being the heir to the throne, though this was Leon, he cared little for rank or who someone's parents were.

 

Anna wondered about what her life would be like if she were one of those storybook princesses, would she fall in love with a man like him? A man, hardened from the road and battle, someone who was the veteran of at least a hundred campaigns, or would it be some fresh-faced village boy who had picked up an Emainian Saber and started to cut his way through a small army of evil men. All this would probably result in Anna throwing herself upon him the second that she met him for no reason other than him looking pretty, she guessed.

 

She absolutely wouldn't be practising with a sword herself, learning to fight for the honour of a handmaiden. For that matter, she surely would not be falling in love with that same handmaiden.

 

Leon sprang forward with his sword, striking at the throat of the imaginary enemy that he was facing, before pulling back into the first guard position that he showed her. Anna followed suit, her lunge was slightly clumsy, and she knew that her guard was imperfect.

 

There would be a long way to go until she was ready to face Darian, but she was afraid that she might not have enough time to get good enough at it. That didn't mean that she wasn't going to give him a damn good thrashing regardless.

 

**28th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Afternoon – Silk and Steel Tailors – Apprentice Natalie**

 

Natalie was really proud of how this work was going, sure, Robyn's insistence where exactly the clothing ended or how the hell it was fastened to her.

 

Despite the fact that Robyn disliked corsets with a passion, she was quite happy with a similar system being one of the only things keeping that dress on. Though Natalie really shouldn't be complaining, this was one of the few interesting things that have happened to her in a while. The two women worked in silence.

 

Well, actually only Natalie was working, Robyn, on the other hand, was standing around as a model and humming to herself. Natalie was recording down some figures that she needed to make a note of, especially considering the lack of fabric that was being used for the dress, the only problem was that a lot of it was also cut fabric. 

 

Natalie heard that her door had opened and the sound of at least a few footfalls, probably boots. The tailor sighed to herself and looked at Robyn. "Could you please keep this pose and hold this together?" she asked.

 

"I don't really think I would've started to move considering that this is not fully fastened to me." Robyn responded, "not unless you wanted the customers to see me in my underwear."

 

Natalie gave the raven-haired woman a flat look, she was still wearing her breaches and boots, not to mention that her tunic and leather vest is literally on a nearby chair, though the tailor was somewhat annoyed by the treatment of the clothes. "You are not in your underthings, not unless you are going to undress right there just to embarrass me?" the flame-haired girl responded.

 

"That's tempting, but I'm sure you've got someone to talk to right now." Robyn responded, pouting slightly, "Though I do have a fun incident to talk about concerning when I did meet a girl's parents while wearing my underwear. They weren't pleased."

 

Natalie rolled her eyes and went into the storefront and stopped. In front of her was a familiar face.

 

Long, wild flame red hair, full of braids and kept in a semblance of unity by small engraved metal rings, the hair that went down to the small of the person's back and framed that pale, scarred northerner skin. Harsh, thick scars littered her face, with the most prominent being a deep scar that ran from the centre of her forehead to the top of her left eyebrow. Two yellow, catlike eyes glimmered in the light. 

 

The figure was clad in grey leather armour over some parts of chainmail, casting her in a very warlike image, which was emphasised by the longsword that was sheathed over her back, the knife sheathed on her rugged and well-worn boots and the wolf amulet. This was Simone, the Red Wolf of Rosepeak.

 

Next to the Red Wolf was a figure that was mostly hidden. A blue headscarf with gold coloured trims concealed the black hair that Natalie knew from experience was there. She wore a long blue fabric coat as well that came down to her knees. What was plainly visible under the jacket was a body piece of hard leather armour and cotton hosen that lead down to dark brown leather boots. In addition, there was a pair of sheaths that hosen infamous curved blades, not Emianian sabres up something different, a pair of twin khopesh. To round out the image, a pouch of crossbow bolts was plainly visible with a crossbow visible over her shoulder. This was Adwa the Deadeye.

 

Or at least, that was what they were known as to the world at large, to Natalie, this was mom and ma.

 

"Mom?" Natalie asked, a few tears in her eyes at seeing her again, she ran into the arms of her mom, who caught her in her strong arms. "Where have you been?" she asked.

 

"Uh, Kadaverus," Adwa responded, a small grin on her sunkissed skin and mirth in her voice. Ruffled Natalie's hair with a gloved hand. "It was rather morbid." she added, "though there were some interesting things there. I might have a gift for you somewhere."

 

Natalie was flattered, her parents always cared for her when they could, and they went all across Acoroma to bring some slices of a land that she might never visit as long as she lived. She removed herself from her mother's embrace "I'm so glad that you're both well!" she said, wincing as the words came out louder than she intended.

 

"I'm glad you are as well, it's wonderful to see that you are doing well under your apprenticeship," Simone said, her voice full of mirth as well. Natalie felt the sting of those old bruises, that part of the hip that never healed property. "Where is Master Atlas anyway?" she asked.

 

Natalie felt her breathing quicken, she tried to focus on the present. He wasn't here, he was on the other side of the duchy, Atlas was indisposed. "He's at Sparrow's Reach." the tailor managed to choke out.

 

Simone seemed to react automatically, looking at her daughter in her eyes and said: "Natalie, I want you to look at me."  her voice was forceful. "Look at me love." she commanded. Natalie's darkening steel grey eyes met her mother's yellow eyes. Her breathing increased in pace as she thought about those injuries. 

 

"Nat, I'm going to need you to breathe in and out for me." Adwa said, crouching down as well, her red and brown eyes gazing into Natalie. "Do you think you could do that for me?" she asked.

 

Robyn ran out of the back room, barely putting on a tunic as she saw what was happening. Her eyes were wide as she saw the tailor panicking. Natalie tried to slow her breathing.

 

"I think I can." Natalie choked out, trying to control it. Those hands that hurt if he was feeling generous, thankfully, he was always feeling so generous.  That constant voice that berated every mistake, no matter how minor or existent. How she loathed his very existence. 

 

"He's not here, he can't hurt you now," Adwa reassured her daughter, deciding not to ask about the black-clad woman for now. She didn't embrace her daughter, but made sure to make it evident that she was there.

 

Natalie took a deep breath through her nose and breathed out through her mouth and then repeated this cycle a few times. She liked to think that she was breathing out her fears and inhaling good feelings. 

 

Her hip still hurt, it was always there, a dull ache in her mind, one that she did a good job of ignoring. But thinking about him, that vile man who caused all that always brought that pain to the forefront of her mind. 

 

"Natalie if you ever need help, know that I'm here for you, no matter how long it takes or how many hours it takes to help." Robyn said into Natalie's ear, reassuring her. Something about Robyn's voice in her ear was more reassuring than it should be. "But know that he can't hurt you here." she added.

 

Natalie repeated the cycle, her breathing levelling out as the pain in her hip lessened. That Lord Stone gave her enough to solve her debt, and guaranteed that the pathetic excuse for a man who beat her wouldn't get out of Sparrow's Reach.

 

Though that did come with a command, she was to spy on Robyn for him, report her movements, where she went and who she talked to. But this girl helped her and honestly, seemed to be more present that Lord ever seemed to be and she had heard that he was an agent of Edward, so hopefully her wish would be granted.

 

After a few more minutes, Natalie's panic passed, and the memories of better things filled her head, the happiness she felt when he was finally taken away when she made her first dress for a customer as the de-facto owner of Silk and Steel.

 

That feeling of pride, freedom and happiness, the general impression that she was finally free from him, even though this was his store, she had made it better and had almost entirely removed his presence from it.

 

She was sure that she had calmed down, the pain of her hip was that same ignorable ache. Her parents who of course didn't know anything, mainly because telling them would've resulted in him not being generous, and of course, one of her new favourite customers, Robyn.

 

There was a small beat when Natalie realised that one Robyn was concerned enough to not hold the pose but that her parents were probably going to be asking questions about the girl who was in her backroom and had apparently just got dressed. It was plain to see, one would be able to notice it considering that her drawstrings weren't even done up yet.

 

"So I imagine that you have some questions." Natalie said, knowing that she was stating the obvious. Robyn, mom and ma nodded, and Natalie sighed to herself.

 

**28th Day of the Rose Blooms – Late Afternoon – Natalie's Room – Apprentice Natalie**

 

Natalie would be the first to admit that she was not the neatest individual in Serenity's Grace, primarily because she wasn't really that neat. Her room, which was actually the floor over the shop was a combination bedroom, dressing room and lounge. That last part made her laugh, she barely got any sleep all week, considering how the Gathering of Nobility was looming in the background which meant that she has not had a full night's sleep in a month. 

 

Not to mention that she had rarely slept in the bed, so the room was something of a mess, with half-cleaned plates, cups which she had yet to fully finish off and a half-read, dog-eared copy of The Witch and the Maiden, laid on the small table there. 

 

The room itself was somewhat well illuminated by a low oil lamp, that she had lit and set on the small table. Around the table, Adwa had taken the main seat, the only other chair was one that she bought, mainly to remove the building of any reminders of him, of course, Simone had taken the other seat. Robyn had sat down, crosslegged on a nearby flat-topped chest that Natalie knew contained some other novels that she liked to read for pleasure and also her journal.

 

Natalie couldn't actually find a seat, so she was left standing in the middle of the room with the gaze of her mothers and Robyn fixated upon her. She was understandably quite nervous, with her ringing her hands as she mentally sorted out her answers.

 

"I think I would like to deal with the main question," Simone spoke up first, "So, who exactly is this woman who you had in your back room? And why was she half-naked?" she asked. Adwa nodded in agreement, while Robyn and Natalie blushed.

 

"When you put it like that, you make it sound like something lewd was happening." Robyn responded, sounding slightly aghast. "I'm Robyn Lancaster, handmaiden to Princess Anna Winter." she was trying to be nonchalant about this, but it was hard to do that while blushing red.

 

"So you're minor nobility, but that doesn't explain being half-naked in my daughter's backroom." Adwa responded. Natalie was wondering how exactly to phrase this, seeing as Robyn was not known for subtle or diplomatic phrasing.

 

"She was being fitted for a dress, the unique nature of it required her to have to remove her tunic." Natalie explained professionally "You entered the store midway through fitting it." she then realised something "Wait, I told you to hold the dress in place while I was in the storefront."

 

"You did, but then I heard the sounds of a panic attack, and it wouldn't do to just simply stand there looking like a human mannequin." Robyn responded, "I'm sure that your mothers would be less pleased in that event."

 

Natalie had to concede that point, it did make sense. "So, you're not going to ask about what that was?" the tailor asked, looking at Robyn. Who shrugged.

 

"It's a condition that you have, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Though I will not pry if you don't want me to do so," she answered. "I assume you were abused, but that is all that I am allowing myself to assume."

 

Adwa cleared her throat, an action that she was able to make sound dignified and refined. "So I'm assuming that every other time we visited the tailor shop and you told us that everything was alright, that you were being forced to lie to us."

 

Natalie felt a small amount of guilt burn into her, she hated the fact that she did lie to her mothers. "Yes... he" she spat out, "made me not tell anyone, otherwise he was going to stop feeling generous." she felt some revulsion creep up at the thought of it. "his beatings and tongue-lashings was his definition of generous." she said, noting that Robyn, much liked her mothers, looked like they were ready to kill someone.

 

**28th Day of the Rose Blooms – Early Evening – Council Chambers – Helias Winter**

 

It was often said that Duke Fredrick Proudsong only smiled when he was going to bring down the axe. Helias knew that this saying was not true, he only smiled when he had something that he found to be quite interesting.

 

What qualified as 'interesting' usually ranged from a particularly stupid plot, all the way to cases of corruption in any duchy that wasn't the Proud Coast. However, he was smiling like someone had told him that he was going to be given a fortune in gold and platinum. 

 

"Your Majesty, I just found the most intriguing thing." Fredrick said, his voice was a creepy level of pleased, "Renford Stone is not the man we thought he was." The Duke grinned at that as he plopped down into his seat in the Council Chamber, Helias found it slightly annoying that he had to use this room more often than he wanted to, though it was the second most secure room in the Keep.

 

The King wasn't entirely sure about what his duke meant by that. "Explain, while you have the context, I am not privy to those details." Helias said to the duke. "So explain what that means."

 

"Renford Stone never existed in the first place. He was simply Edward Bronzewing, wearing a wig and makeup." Fredrick said without any sense of ceremony or drama, so much so that Helias actually was wondering if he heard the spymaster correctly.

 

"I'm sorry, I must have misheard you, Renford was just an old man wearing a wig and makeup?" The King asked, it didn't just seem possible. There shouldn't be any method of disguising oneself so well without using magic. Though Edward was known to be brilliant and unconventional.

 

"That is the truth, Your Majesty." Fredrick said "It also seems that he was working alone. If he had any accomplices, he wasn't saying anything about them."

 

"Do you feel like we could make any further use of Edward?" Helias asked, knowing that Fredrick preferred to make use of people for pragmatic reasons, and tended not to think about how the average noble would react.

 

"I have some ideas..." Fredrick said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natalie's Scenes took far too long to write.


End file.
